An Unexpected Revival
by Hellfire Pheonix
Summary: The darker halves of Yugi, Ryou, and Malik reappear back into their lives which causes newfound relatonships to be made however unbeknownst to them, an ancient evil returns to rage a war between the lights and their darknesses YYY BR SJ MM all main pairs
1. Reappearance

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! or its characters.

Title: An Unexpected Revival

Pairings: Yami/Yugi, Bakura/Ryou, Seto/Jou, Marik/Malik

Chapter: 1 "**The Reappearance"**

Summary: PostFinalDuel One by one, the darker halves begin reappearing back into the lives of Yugi, Ryou and Malik which cause newfound feelings and relationships to develop. All main pairings YYY BR SJ MM

Rated: M

Author's Notes: I'm not going to lie and say that I'm really good at updating because I'm honestly not. There are times when I'll update the story consecutively and then fall into a slump and not post chapters for months. We shall see how I do with this story. I will be referring to Atemu as Yami because I am more comfortable that way. I know that the Millennium Items disappeared along with the Pharaoh when he returned to the afterlife but for the sake of this fic, they're still around as physical objects and they still belong to their respective owners (Yugi and his puzzle, Ryou and his ring, and Marik with his rod). And what I mean by main pairings is that each chapter will feature moments between each pairing – there is no main couple as they are all consider the main couples.

Ages  
>Yugi Mutou: 21 years old<br>Ryou Bakura: 21 years old  
>Katsuya "Jou" Jounouchi: 21 years old<br>Seto Kaiba: 20 years old  
>Malik Ishtar: 20 years old<p>

/blahblah/ Yugi to Yami  
>blahblah/ Yami to Yugi  
>_blahblah_/Ryou to Bakura  
>_blahblah_/ Bakura to Ryou  
>**blahblah**/ Malik to Marik  
>**blahblah**/ Marik to Malik

If you didn't understand by the examples above, the mind link dialogue between Yugi and Yami will be distinguished by normal text, Ryou and Bakura will be in italics and Marik and Malik will be in bold. And I don't have a Beta so please forgive my grammar mistakes and just other mistakes that I have done. I already know I'm a fail writer. I do wonder under which character slots I'll put this into. Sigh. Which should I?

* * *

><p>It was a cool, breezy night in September and the sky was filled with darkened clouds. The moon was partially hidden by the clouds but its light still shone brightly into Yugi's room through the window. Five years have passed since Yugi's final duel with the spirit of his Millennium Puzzle and a lot has changed since then. Yugi grew taller within the years however he was still considered short compared to his friends. His physical features had still remained the same; tri-colored hair with yellow bangs that fell into his childlike, amethyst eyes. He hadn't gained much muscle, just enough to erase the baby fat he had, though his body was slender. Yugi attended Domino University and was pursuing a degree in Computer Software Engineering as he felt that he wanted a career that centered around his love for games. Yugi was also an avid fan of technology so a career in computer software engineering suited him.<p>

Yugi rarely dueled in tournaments nowadays. Although he kept his deck, he stopped entering in tournaments and instead just appeared at the events to show his support. It wasn't that he lost interest in Duel Monsters; it was just that it gave him a feeling of loneliness as it reminded him of Yami who had passed on into the afterlife. Yugi kept his deck inside the Egyptian case that had once housed the pieces of his Millennium puzzle and he usually had it set on his desk beside his Millennium Puzzle. Yugi dared not to wear his puzzle anymore because it only reminded him of his old friend.

The King of Games was sound asleep in his bed, his chest rising and falling with each and every breath he took. He was curled up slightly, resting on his right side, with his left hand placed beside his face. In his sleep, he let out a small sigh as he rolled over onto his left side so now he faced his desk.

A bright light then appeared, coating his room white and causing Yugi to inwardly flinch before slowly opening his eyes. He raised his arms to shield his eyes while he blinked several times, trying to get use to the blinding light. As quickly as it had appeared, the white light dimmed until Yugi's room was darkened again with the only light source being the moonlight that shone though Yugi's window.

A lone, tall figure stood in the moonlight, head bent downwards and all that could be seen was a mere silhouette. The figure looked oddly familiar.

Yugi, having now adjusted his eyes to the darkness, lowered his arms and looked at the figure in his room with curious eyes. "Who's there?" He asked the shadowy, silhouette. Although the figure was surrounded by the white light of the moon, Yugi still couldn't make out a face. The figure raised its head and turned towards the voice.

"Yugi?" The figure asked, uncertainly.

The teen stilled, frozen as his eyes widen with shock. He recognized that voice; he hadn't heard it over five years! Though disbelief clouded into his brain, he couldn't help but ask, "Yami? Yami, is that you?"

The shadowy figure then started becoming more visible to Yugi in the darkness. He saw the familiar outline of Yami's hair and then the colors of black, red, and yellow. Yugi saw the yellow spikes in his hair as his eyes traced along the figure's face, eyes sweeping along the contour of the nose, lips, and then chin. Amethyst eyes met crimson ones. "Yami?" he asked again, a little more confidently this time.

"It is me, Yugi. I'm here." Yami answered.

Yugi reached over to his desk and flicked on his lamp and looked at his old friend. With the aid of his light, Yami was now fully visible to Yugi and the teen took a chance to admire his old friend.

Yami had barely changed since Yugi last saw him but there were still some noticeable differences. Yugi saw that Yami now had crimson red eyes and his features seemed sharper than before. The Pharaoh's skin was no longer creamy white like it had been when he dueled alongside Yugi; Yami now had tan, bronze skin. Yami was dressed in a sleeveless black shirt with golden braces adorning his arms and wrists and he wore his usual pair of leather pants. Yami also wore a golden headdress on his forehead that had the eye of Horus on it. A very noticeable difference was that Yami looked solid; not at all like his once transparent spirit form from years ago.

A feeling of immense joy erupted within Yugi's heart. "It is you!" He said, a smile gracing his lips. Yugi jumped to his feet and threw his arms around Yami's waist. "Yami, it really is you!" he cried happily.

Yami let out a low chuckle before circling an arm around Yugi's shoulder. "Yes, little one, it is me." Yami looked down at his old partner, noticing how close Yugi's head was to his chin. "You look different. You've certainly gotten taller." He mused.

Yugi let out a laugh, pulling away from Yami although he was still arms length away. "I've grown quite a bit!" He excited told his darker half. "It's been nearly five years since we've seen each other!" Yugi added.

The ancient pharaoh looked taken back. "Five years?" he repeated. "Has it only been that long?" Yami asked, moving to sit on the edge of Yugi's bed with the smaller of the two sitting back on his bed with his legs crossed.

"It seems longer, doesn't it?" Yugi asked back honestly, leaning back against the headboard of his bed. He watched as Yami thoughtfully crossed his arms.

"How old are you now?" The Pharaoh asked, looking at Yugi with a serene expression.

"I turned twenty-one three months ago." Yugi replied back with a smile.

"Twenty-one? Ra, you really have been growing up." Yami smiled back, reached out to touch his partner's face. Tan fingers lightly ran across Yugi's face and the smaller teen sighed contently, leaning towards the Pharaoh's touch. Feeling Yami's fingers against his cheek comforted Yugi greatly as he began realizing how much he truly missed his other self.

Yugi then pulled away abruptly. "Wait; can you explain to me how you're here? Is something wrong with the world again?" Yugi asked, somewhat fearfully. He scooted closer to Yami and regarded him with a worried gaze. "Yami, what's happened?"

Yami hummed in a low tone. "I cannot answer that Yugi because I do not even know. All I can recall is that I was in the afterlife with the spirits of my friends but then I felt a pulling sensation, like I was being pulled back into the world of the living. I saw the sands of Egypt and then with a blink of an eye, I saw your room." Yami placed a hand on his heart. "It was a weird sensation albeit warm and comforting. I can't explain it but I am sorry my old partner, I am sorry that I cannot answer your question."

The Pharaoh's answer troubled Yugi a bit. "Maybe we should go see Isis soon. There might be a prophecy we have overlooked. I kept the Millennium Necklace; perhaps she can use it to see the future." He offered.

"That sounds like a good idea. Let us go tomorrow." Yami nodded in a determined fashion. "For now we can only wait till the sun rises. I suppose we have a bit of catching up to do." He said with a smile.

Yugi grinned good-naturally and crossed his arms behind his head as a makeshift pillow. "Yes we do. What is it you would like to know?" Yugi asked.

Yami hummed again in thought, seemingly a natural habit of his, eyes looking upwards before he lowered them again to Yugi. "What have you been up to these last five years? Tell me everything; I've seemed to have missed a lot."

"Well, I graduate high school." Yugi laughed. "I go to Domino University and I'm studying to become a Computer Software Engineer." At his dark's confused look, Yugi only laughed harder. "I'll get to handle computers and design certain programs and software."

Yami still looked confused but he nodded. "Interesting, how has Grandpa been?"

"As lively as ever though I've been manning the game shop more. I don't want to strain him and cause him any discomfort or stress. But business has been flourishing. We actually signed a joint partnership with Otogi's company!" He told his darkness in an excited voice.

"That's great, Yugi!" Yami congratulated. "I shall offer my congratulations to Grandpa tomorrow when he awakes and Otogi if I see him." Yami felt happy, happier than he had felt in a long time. It's not that he wasn't happy in the afterlife with his friends; it was just that he missed the times he spent with Yugi. "Do you still play?" Yami suddenly asked, nodding his head in the direction of the Egyptian case. Yugi followed his gaze and upon seeing what the Pharaoh was referring to, shook his head softly. "Why not?" Yami asked.

"It hurts too much." Yugi said quietly. "I love Duel Monsters but it just made me think of you and how lonely I have been without you. When I touch that deck, my mind is flooded with the memories of our duels and the times we spent together. I have missed you, Yami." He said truthfully, looking up into crimson red eyes.

Yami studied his old partner, his eyes focused on Yugi's amethyst ones. Yami then closed his eyes briefly and stood, turning towards Yugi's desk. He let out a small smile and picked up the Millennium Puzzle. He leaned down and draped the Millennium Item around Yugi's neck and placed both his and Yugi's hands on its triangular angle. "I have missed you too, my partner." Yami replied honestly.

Yugi smiled.

Yami reached over and picked up the box. "Let play one game, my partner. You do owe me a rematch from our last duel." He joked. "Now that I'm here, you won't be lonely anymore."

Yugi's smile only grew bigger and his dark's words. He took out the deck and drew a card. It was the Dark Magician, his and Yami's most trusted card. A transparent but still slightly visible purple adorned figure then appeared, floating in the middle of Yugi's room. It was the duel spirit of the Dark Magician.

Yami regarded the magician with a respectful look as he saw the Dark Magician bow his head slightly. He then drew a card from the deck and it was the Dark Magician Girl. She then also appeared in her duel spirit form, floating alongside the Dark Magician. "Mahado. Mana." Yami greeted causing the Dark Magician to let out a chuckle and the Dark Magician Girl to giggle.

Upon seeing his Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, Yugi felt his heart warm considerably. He then turned to Yami with a competitive smirk, a fire burning in his eyes. Yami raised an amused brow and returned the smirk. "Let's duel!" Yugi said, shuffling his deck before dividing it in half and giving the other half to Yami.

The two close friends began their duel with Yugi opening on the first move. Time passed but the two did not seem to notice, too absorbed in their duel and the happiness of their reunion.

* * *

><p>Seto Kaiba sat in the office of his mansion with a focused expression on his face. His eyes swept across the laptop screen quickly, sapphire blue eyes scanning the numbers of Kaiba Corporation's accounting information. An untouched mug of coffee was set beside his laptop.<p>

In the five years since he witness the final duel between Yami and Yugi, Kaiba had accomplished much in terms of his life. After his high school graduation, Kaiba immediately turned to America to continue his college education, knowing that America had some of the finest schools in education. He attended Stanford University and with his intelligent mind and overall experience with business, managed to graduate in only two years. He left the care of Kaiba Corps. to Mokuba while he was away and upon his return, retook his position as the President and CEO of Kaiba Corporation. His first act of business after requiring his position was to set up a expansion of his company in the United States.

Due to his younger brother's constant nagging to be more social, Kaiba started spending more time with Yugi and the rest of his group. Mokuba saw it as a way to finally unite both his friends and his older brother together. Initially, Kaiba resented the idea as he viewed all of them as inferior to him of course with the exception of Yugi. Kaiba always had high respect for Yugi, not only for being his rival, but also because Kaiba considered Yugi to be his first real friend. Yugi welcome Kaiba with open arms and in time, Kaiba became friends with the other members of Yugi's group.

Kaiba became looser, easy-going and not as uptight as before ever since he made more friends. Mokuba was right in the way that being more social would put him in a positive mindset. Of all the interactions he had to endured, one stuck out the most for him.

It was in the form of Katsuya Jounouchi.

For years, Kaiba despised the loud-mouth blonde. The brunette couldn't stand anything about Jounouchi. He always considered him a failure of a duelist and lowly like a dog. It was only during his forced interactions did Kaiba's opinion of Jou start to change. Having had to spend time around Yugi a lot due to those forced interactions, Kaiba would unfortunately have to see Jou frequently too since Yugi and Jou were together often. And during those times, Kaiba would watch and observe him. Two years ago was when Kaiba began noticing the little things about Jou he would grow to love.

Kaiba noticed during class how intently Jou would pay attention and how furiously he would take notes during lectures. He would see Honda and Otogi whispering and throwing paper balls at him in order to get him to talk to them however Jou would only focus on the teacher. He never responded to them during class when they tried to distract him. The blue eyed man saw Jou then as a person with focus and determination. It was a known fact that Jou wasn't the brightest of the bunch however with sheer determination, Jou began to get better and better grades. Jou studied hard and Kaiba respected his determination.

When Kaiba visited the Kame Game Shop once to help tutor Yugi in Calculus, he was surprised to see Yugi lying on the floor with study books and notes all spread out and Jou sitting beside him, teaching him what he needed to know. Although Yugi struggled and felt that he couldn't learn the material, Jou never gave up on him. He reassured him like any best friend would and offered to go over the problem again. When Jou saw Kaiba enter into Yugi's room, he motioned for him to help. "It might be easier for Yugi to understand if we both teach him Kaiba," Jou said with a toothy grin. It was that day that Kaiba saw his kind heart.

The two were paired up for an assignment one time during their Economics class and before Kaiba could open his mouth to make a snide comment, Jounouchi began speaking to him in a very professional tone. Jou mentioned how they shouldn't let their rivalry and dislike for each other come in the way of producing an excellent project. Kaiba was surprised but he knew not to show it, he merely nodded. During the two weeks that they worked on their project, Kaiba and Jou began learning more and more about each other.

It got to a point where Kaiba even felt comfortable around the blonde and even referred to him by his own name. The CEO learned of Jou's dream to be big in the business world and how he would one day own his own company just like Kaiba. The two spent so much time together even outside their project that they grew extremely close. It didn't take long for Kaiba to fall for him.

After seeing their perfect grade on their project, Kaiba extended a hand to Jou in a professional handshake, "You did well Jou. I was proud to be your partner." He said. Jou stared at him before a smile graced his lips. Jou then launched himself at Kaiba and hugged him.

Kaiba couldn't help himself, Jou was just too close. Impulsively, Kaiba grabbed Jou and just kissed him. When he pulled away and peered at Jou with nervous eyes, Jou smiled reassuring. And that was their first kiss. Of course they got together and of course they fell in love. With all that had happened with Jou, Kaiba then asked him to move in with him and Jou agreed wholeheartedly. They had been together for two years and both were happy.

Jou attended Domino University with Yugi and he was pursuing a degree in business. Kaiba promised him that when he graduated with a professional degree, he would make Jou his top advisor and so because of his lover's encouragement, Jounouchi studied hard to make top grades. He wanted to be there for Kaiba when he needed him.

"It's late, Seto." Jou said as he leaned against the doorframe of Kaiba's office. His hair was slightly disheveled, his blonde bangs falling into his honey eyes. Jou smiled as he looked as his lover sitting in front of the laptop. "Don't you want to come to bed?"

Kaiba regarded Jou with soft sapphire eyes, "I will in a bit, Puppy." He said, affectionately calling Jou by his pet name. "I just need to check over the numbers again to make sure they're all right. His eyes then returned to his laptop screen.

Jou crossed his arms smugly and walked to stand beside Kaiba. He leaned down and looked at the screen, shifting his eyes it to Kaiba and then back again. With quick eyes, he scanned the screen before grinning and shutting down the accounting chart. "Come to bed Seto, you know everything is right." He playfully nipped on Kaiba's ear.

Kaiba growled softly before rolling his eyes and shutting his laptop closed. "Fine, fine. Let's go to bed." He agreed, taking Jou's hand in his and leading the blonde up the main staircase to their bedroom. Kaiba opened the door to their bedroom and he saw four large bodies by his and Jou's bed.

Three of the four bodies were small, white and glowed brightly. Sharp talons and long tails curled close to one another and beautiful, white wings were tucked gently against their backs. They were Kaiba's duel spirits, his three precious Blue Eyes White Dragons. "You finally came to bed, Seto." One of them mused and Kaiba let out a small chuckle. "Yes, so now it is time for bed. Go to sleep, girls." His dragons all hummed in content.

"Make sure to keep them warm." Jou called to the fourth body. The fourth body was large and black, its own black wings tucked against his back. It was Jou's duel spirit, the Red Eyes Black Dragon and upon hearing his master's voice, curled protectively around his three Blue Eyes White Dragons. "Of course." He growled out humorously.

Kaiba and Jounouchi climbed into bed and settled into a comfortable position with Jou's back to Kaiba's chest. Jou laid on his with his hand coming up to settle beside his face and the brunette wrapped his arms around Jou and placed his hand on top of Jou's.

"Goodnight Jou." Kaiba said, kissing the back of said blonde's neck and closing his eyes.

"Goodnight Seto." Jou responded, pressing his lips to Kaiba's hand before drifting to sleep.

* * *

><p>Ryou Bakura sat on a wooden stool in front of an easel in the living room of the apartment that he shared with Malik. He held the paintbrush loosely in his hand as he painted, the thin, brown bristles gliding across the canvas. He hummed to himself softly, reaching out to dip his paintbrush in water to rid it of its previous color.<p>

It's been five years since the spirit of his Millennium Ring disappeared and it left Ryou with mixed feelings. He felt the freedom of finally being his own person; he no longer had to deal with being suppressed. His darker half always controlled Ryou, whenever he wanted to surface, he would suppress Ryou's conscience and simply take over. Ryou was never nothing more to Bakura than just a simple vessel and now that he was gone, Ryou could live freely. It brought him joy when he realized he didn't have to fight to be heard anymore.

On the negative side, Ryou felt strangely empty without Bakura. He felt in his heart a sort of loneliness when Bakura had disappeared years ago. It was understandable; he was the darkness to Ryou's light. The two forces needed each other to coexist. It pained Ryou to admit that he missed Bakura's presence. Even though Bakura always referred to him as a simple vessel or host, Ryou felt like Bakura considered more of him. Bakura had a sadistic way of showing it but Ryou knew that his darker half cared. Bakura and Ryou were never friends; they didn't have the mutual sort of understanding relationship that Yugi had with his darkness. But in a way, Bakura was the older brother that Ryou never had, his protector even.

Ryou recalled a memory he had seen through Bakura during the duel against the Pharaoh in the Battle City Tournament. Although the thief had stopped suppressing Ryou long enough to let him temporarily take over during that duel in his own twisted effort to win because he knew the Yugi wouldn't want to endanger his already weakened friend. Bakura ultimately regained his control over Ryou when the Pharaoh launched his attack with his Egyptian God Card because he knew Ryou was already too vulnerable and Bakura did not want to risk losing Ryou. Bakura then took the powerful attack on his own, thereby saving his own weaker light. Ryou treasured that memory with all his heart because it showed him how much Bakura cared.

Unlike Yugi, Ryou still wore his Millennium Ring, often hiding it underneath his shirt. It reminded him of Bakura and gave him a sense of security and comfort.

He graduated high school with high grades and enrolled at Domino University with Yugi and Jou before dropping after the first semester. At that time, he was pursuing a degree in medicine to become a Pediatrician however he realized that he did not want to follow that path. It was then that Ryou picked up a paintbrush and canvas out of shere boredom did he discover newfound passion and love for artistry.

Ryou loved to paint and his paintings were absolutely beautiful and breathtaking, his attention to detail made his work great. Ryou would paint anything from landscapes to portraits of his friends and it was by Malik's encouragement to apply to Domino's School of Art and Design, a prestigious art school for talented artists. Ryou then comprised a portfolio of his best masterpieces which included many paintings that Ryou treasured deeply.

He selected a painting he did from Kaiba's office at the top floor of Kaiba Corporation's executive building. The sky was filled with swirls of red, orange and pink as Ryou painted the beautiful sunset over Domino. From the top floor, Ryou had a great view of the city and so he painted every structure he could see, ranging from his high school, the Kame Game Shop, and even Kaiba Land. He received high remarks from his friends concerning this painting which made Ryou blush with pride.

Ryou picked out another painting he treasured. It was a portrait of Malik as he slept peacefully on the couch with a textbook left opened as it rested on his chest. His blonde hair was spewed around him and his long bangs fell over closed lilac eyes. Ryou was especially fond of this painting because Malik was his best friend and it was he who inspired Ryou to further pursue a career in artistry. Ryou felt that he should dedicate one of his entry paintings to him.

The last painting Ryou selected was by far his most prized masterpiece. It depicted him and Bakura sharing one body with separating halves. Ryou based this painting off his favorite card, Change of Heart and he spent a great deal of time on this particular painting than he had over the others. The white haired main carefully painted the thin tendrils of Bakura's demonic wing with a precise hand, wanting it to be absolutely perfect. Once Ryou had gotten accepted to Domino's School of Art and Design, he was shocked and ecstatic with joy. He was so happy! Painting truly was his passion.

"I seem to have run out of blue." Ryou said to himself, his brow furrowing slightly in disappointment. He sighed and got up, stretching slightly before walking towards his supply closet where he kept various paintbrushes, canvases, paints and other useful materials. He rummaged through his supplies, searching for the blue paint.

"My vessel."

Ryou flinched inwardly as the blue paint tube dropped from his hand and clattered as it hit the ground. His breathing then slightly got labored as he froze in his spot. His chocolate brown eyes shook nervously, panic erupted inside him. Ryou turned his head slightly, his eyes looking from the corner of his eyes and he saw a figure behind him. Quickly, Ryou turned his head again and looked forward, staring at his supply closet. "That voice! But it couldn't be!" He mentally screamed in his head.

"Vessel." That voice called again somewhat irritably. "What the hell? Turn around!" The voice shouted.

Ryou still hadn't moved a muscle. He was confused, shocked and scared for he knew that the owner of that voice had disappeared five years ago; it made no sense to Ryou that he was hearing it now. Ryou heard a low growl and yelped when he felt a hand grab his shoulder from behind and spun him around. Chocolate eyes widened. "Bakura!"

The spirit of the Millennium Ring smirked, a fang slipping past his lips. "And here I thought you've forgotten me." He deadpanned. The past thief king crossed his arms smugly. "You look different." He commented.

Ryou blinked. He then proceeded to spin and twist his torso around as he looked at himself. It was true, Ryou had changed. His snow, white hair was longer and flowed down to waist although at the moment, it was pulled back in a high ponytail. He had grown a few inches over the years and his body became long and slender. His eyes however had remained the same; they still held the innocent and childlike glint to them. "Maybe a little," he admitted. "But you've changed too."

Bakura grunted at that and merely shrugged. His skin was no longer pale but was now bronze and the chocolate brown eyes he had once shared with Ryou were now a shade of light blue. His hair still had its spiky, winged out style from the before however his hair was now a dull gray. He seemed taller as well, towering over Ryou. The most noticeable difference was the crossed shaped scar below his right eye. Bakura was also adorned with a long, red coat and black, leather pants. His well toned abs flexed with every moment he made. On his right hand were two golden rings, one on his middle finger and then another on his pointer finger. Bakura also had on a gold bracelet.

"I've seemed to have taken the combined appearance of my past self and what I looked like when I inhabited the Millennium Ring." Bakura said, lowering his arms to his side as he regarded his light with passive eyes. "How long?"

Ryou looked confused. "How long what?"

Light blue eyes rolled at that. "How long as it been since the Pharaoh returned to the afterlife?"

"Oh, about five years now." Ryou answered as he led Bakura to take a seat in the armchair beside his stool. The darker half looked uneasy and slightly hesitant before taking a seat. He watched Ryou pull his stool closer and sat down, crossing his arms.

"You're twenty-one now?" Bakura asked, raising a brow.

Ryou nodded with a small smile on his face. "Yes, I am. I've grown up, I suppose." Ryou didn't know how to explain his darkness' reappearance back into his life but he didn't care at the moment, Bakura was back and that overjoyed him. "I graduated, you know. I'm in college now, I paint." He said, indicating with his hand at the easel.

Bakura followed the direction of his hand and tilted his head. "Never pegged you for the creative type, Vessel." He said amusingly. His eyes swept over the various paintings draped around the room and nodding approvingly. "I guess you do have some talent."

Ryou closed his eyes and smiled happily, knowing that although Bakura's words seemed mocking, they were sincere. "Thank you, Bakura." Ryou then suddenly frowned. "Why are you here?" he asked bluntly. "Trying to take over the world again? Where's Zorc?"

Bakura laughed darkly at his light's questions. "You've gotten pretty forward." He commented before his laughter dissolved to a chuckle. "I can't really explain why I've returned. All I saw was black emptiness and then within a quick second, I saw your ass bending over in the closet."

Ryou rolled his eyes.

The taller of the two crossed his tan arms again. "No, I don't plan on extracting revenge on the Pharaoh." Bakura answered, referring back to Ryou's second question. "I don't know what to do exactly." He muttered softly, unsure as how to respond. His eyes shifted before casting themselves downwards to the floor. "I see no point killing the Pharaoh anymore; I got the closure I needed when I died with Zorc."

Ryou got up and knelt down in front of Bakura. He looked up with childlike brown eyes into the light blue eyes belonging to the past thief. "You've changed." He smiled kindly.

"You said that already." Bakura replied in an annoyed tone.

Ryou fearless reached out and ran his fingers through Bakura's long, gray bangs. His darkness twitched in further annoyance but did not make a move to stop Ryou. "Go away, Vessel."

"My name is Ryou." He said, as if he was introducing himself to someone new. "Ryou." He repeated. His touch was gentle as he glided his fingers across Bakura's bangs. Ryou's fingers trailed lower to run the back of his fingers against the scar on Bakura's face before bringing them back to rest in his lap.

"Stupid Vessel." Bakura said softly, his tone almost affectionately. "You've really changed. Do you fully realize that I'm here? Do you not fear me anymore?" he asked hauntingly. He raised a hand to place it on Ryou arm where he had physically stabbed himself to help Malik initially gain the trust of Jou and his friends.

"Not at all, actually I'm quite happy that you're here. It's been lonely without you. I have missed you, Bakura." Ryou said confidently, smiling. "I've missed the comfort you use to provide me."

The gray haired man chuckled darkly at that. "If you could call it comfort, I suppose." Honestly, Bakura thought he really had changed though he was not surprised. He finally got the closure he needed when he battled the Pharaoh. He got the closure he needed for his people that had all been slaughtered to create the Millennium Items. Being here and alive was a good thing in Bakura's eyes for he now had a second chance to really live a life on a cleaned slate.

"You protected me." Ryou whispered softly recalling his precious memory. "During Battle City, you took Slifer's attack so I wouldn't get hurt. I want to thank you for that. Really, thank you so much for protecting me."

"I didn't protect you." Bakura said, averting his eyes from Ryou's gaze. "I manipulated you. I tried to bait the Pharaoh into forfeiting the duel by using you. I did it for myself."

The younger boy reached out to poke Bakura on the forehead causing the past thief king to growl, a fang appearing again. "But you protected me and took the attack so I wouldn't get hurt." Again, Ryou smiled. "You didn't want to risk the possibility of my body dying."

"Though at the time, I'm sure it was because I needed your body, Vessel." Bakura smirked which cause Ryou to let out a small laugh.

"Either way, I'm here. And it was because you saved me."

Bakura frowned slightly, looking back at Ryou and seeing the earnestness in his eyes. Perhaps Ryou really had forgiven Bakura for the sins he committed and was now accepting him. Bakura placed a hand on top of Ryou's head and ruffled his hair slightly. "Go to bed, Ryou. You've got class tomorrow don't you?" He said with a small smile of his own.

Hearing his name from his dark half's lips caused Ryou to let out a big smile. "I will soon, I promise. I just need to finish this painting, and then I'll go to bed. Of course I still need to set you up with a bed…" He trailed off to himself as he looked around for a makeshift bed.

Bakura's elbow was on the arm of his armchair and he rested his chin upon his closed fist. Light blue eyes followed Ryou's movements as he watched his light walk about the room trying to find what he needed to give Bakura a suitable bed.

/_I could get use to this/ _Bakura mentally said to himself.

/_Good_/ Ryou answered back, looking over his shoulder to smile at Bakura before going back to finding blankets and pillows.

Something then jingled which caught Bakura's attention. His eyes focused on Ryou's chest and it was then that his eyes made out the outline of the Millennium Ring. "You still wear that thing?"

"I never take it off." Ryou replied back honestly.

A small tinge of color flooded Bakura's cheeks before he rolled his eyes again. "Stupid Vessel." He muttered, causing Ryou to laugh. He then let out a sigh and got up to assist Ryou in searching for more pillows. "So tell me what you've been up to."

"Well, you want to know about one of the paintings I did that got me into art school? Funny story, that. You'll laugh, really." Ryou said humorously as he began his story.

* * *

><p>Malik sat at his desk in the library of Domino University with a focused look on his face. It was late and most of the students had already gone home but Malik stayed behind, feeling the need to study. He had an upcoming midterm that wanted to ace. The library was dark saved for some stray lights on the ceiling and other students studying at their desks, a desk lamp by their sides.<p>

The blonde sat by himself with his lamp on, an assortment of opened textbooks and study books scattered around him. His pen scribbled down notes furiously as lavender eyes read from left to right. A low hum erupted from his throat as Malik frowned and tapped his pen impatiently.

Like Yugi and Jou, Malik attended Domino University. After the ceremonial duel between Yugi and the Pharaoh, Malik had returned back to Egypt along with Isis and Rishid to rightfully take back his duties as a tomb keeper. However within the following year, Malik returned to Domino with his family so he could pursue an education. He was currently studying psychology at the university for he wanted to understand the complexity of the mind as well as behaviorism. Malik wanted to dig deeper into how and why his darkness had formed as he only knew that Marik was born as a manifestation of Malik's negative emotions.

The subject of Marik's disappearance was somewhat of a sore subject for Malik. His darkness was born out of Malik's hatred and pain from being initiated as a tomb keeper and although Malik had moved on from his hatred and accepted his destiny as a tomb keeper, he still didn't like to talk about. He still hadn't forgiven himself for the sins he committed to Ryou and the rest of their friends; he hated how a part of him hurt them. Even if that part him was destroyed many years ago, Malik knew a part of Marik could never be erased from within him. Marik was the embodiment of all of the negative emotions that Malik couldn't face on his own – a part of Marik would always be in Malik. It disgusted him.

A sigh escaped his lips as Malik leaned back tiredly, folding his arms behind his head. A blond strand of hair fell into his eyes and he blew it away as he stretched out his stiff limbs. Malik pulled out his cell phone and glanced downwards at the digital numbers on the screen. "It's getting late, I'd better go home." He said to himself, standing up to gather his school supplies.

A tan hand reached out to switch the lamp off and his study space was coated in darkness. Giving his desk a look, Malik swung his school bag over his shoulder and walked towards the exit. He walked outside and paused, looking up at the darkened sky. "I hope it doesn't rain." Malik commented, taking note of large clouds.

He walked forward, a hand in his pocket and the other holding the schoolbag that was thrown over his shoulder. Malik walked quickly, keeping up a fast pace as he casted his eyes downwards. It wasn't a far walk from his apartment to school however at night it seemed quite farther than usual. "Behaviorism tendencies: conditioned responses to outside stimuli, usually from immense pleasure or pain." He recited his notes to himself.

It was almost inaudible but Malik heard a faint rustle of clothing behind him and he slowed his pace a little, eyes now looking ahead. Someone was following him, shadowing his every step and Malik made a subtle move for his side pocket where he kept his Millennium Rod. The only reason he felt the need to carry it around with him was for the handy use of the hidden danger that he could whip out if danger presented himself.

Malik wasn't far from his apartment building now but he didn't want to lead the stranger following him to his home as to not endanger Ryou. Within the years of the ceremonial duel, Ryou and Malik had become close friends, often spending their time together. What had initially brought them together was the subject of their dark halves and how their disappearance made life a bit brighter.

The Egyptian boy heard the steps the stranger would take and he decided that if he should strike, he should soon. Upon seeing the top of his apartment building over the hill, Malik dashed backwards and grabbed his Millennium Rod. Within seconds, he had unsheathed the hidden danger and held it close to the stranger's neck. The quickness of Malik's movement caused the figure's cloak to billow widely around them.

"Who the hell do you think you are, following me and shit?" Malik swore, pressing the sharp dagger to the figure's neck. His grip on the hilt was so strong that his knuckles starting turning white.

The strange figure then let out a deep, dark chuckle causing Malik to freeze. His body tightened and his eyes shook in fear. He knew that voice and he absolutely hated it. The cloak ceased its billowing till it rested against the figure's back smoothly upon seeing who the cloak had belonged to, Malik shook with angry and fury. Malik let out a growl, pressing the dagger harder till it drew blood, "You." He said, angrily.

"Are you going to kill me, my weaker self?" Marik asked, a sadistic smirk on his face as he leaned his neck against the dagger's sharpened point causing more blood to trickle down. "Do it, kill me." He challenged,

Malik let out an enraged roar and moved to plunge his Millennium Rod into Marik's neck but he was too slow; Marik grabbed Malik's wrist and squeezed painfully. "You surprise me. I guess you're not so useless anymore." Malik's dark half threw Malik to the side, the evil smirk never leaving his face. He then raised a hand to press it against his bleeding neck before bringing his hand to his lips and licking away the blood. "Aren't you happy to see me, my weaker self?" He taunted.

"Get away from me! I hate you!" Malik shouted, shaking. His Millennium Rod was held tightly in his right hand and he used it to point accusingly at Marik. "Why the hell are you here, Marik? Go away! My life was better without you!"

Marik crossed his arms smugly and let out a snort before glaring at Marik with hate-filled eyes. "You hate me? Then I suppose you must hate yourself too because face it, you weakling, I am you. Did you forget? I know everything. I know your weaknesses. I know your strengths. I know your fears and I know of the things you love. You and that fool, Rishid tried to push me away but don't you remember? You created me out of your own hatred and pain. I exist because of you. You're weak and you're useless and you do not deserve to be called the 'real' son of Ishtar because you can't even accept that you and I are two halves of one whole. I am you and you are I. When you finally accept that, maybe then I will truly disappear." And with that, Marik turned around, his cloak swishing behind him.

"Marik!" Malik shouted, looking positively murderous.

The evil spirit that had once inhabited Malik's Millennium Rod halted and looked over his shoulder. His lilac eyes watched Malik as he stomped his way over to him. "What is it?" He said in a passive tone.

Malik fearlessly reached out and grabbed Marik's shoulder, turning him so they both faced each other. "I don't understand why I can see you looking back at me! I don't understand why I can touch you like this! I don't understand any of it! Please, tell me what is going on!" Malik cried, looking sad yet furious at the same time.

Marik remained silent as he looked down into lavender eyes almost identical to his own. He inclined his head and leaned down till his bangs brushed Malik's forehead. "My foolish, weaker self," he began, "Perhaps I have returned because you wished for it."

The light scoffed at that, backing away slightly. "Don't be absurd. I was happy when you were gone, why would I want you to come back?" Malik asked, crossing his arms.

"You are the only who can answer that. Perhaps I have been revived so you could finally get your closure. I suppose that my being here will help you truly accept this part of you that you tried so desperately to ignore." Marik made another move to turn away but he was stopped again by Malik.

"Where are you going? Stay here till we figure this mess out!"

"Do you really want me to stay?" Marik laughed, his voice cackling.

"Just until we get this shit straightened out as for now, I guess you'll have to stay with me and Ryou. Rishid and Sister are also here in Domino, we can go see them tomorrow." Malik returned to walking back to his apartment building, noticing how his darkness no longer shadowed his step but this time walked beside him. As the two halves walked by each other in silence, Malik took a moment to observe his hatred form.

Physically, Marik looked the same. His blonde hair was still spiked in all directions and his eyes were still that lilac purple color. He was dressed the clothes he had worn from the Battle City tournament: long, khaki colored pants, a sleeveless black shirt with his purple cape wrapped about his shoulders. On his tan, bronze arms were the golden bands and the golden bracelets he wore on his wrists. All in all, Marik didn't look like he had changed.

Malik squinted slightly as he looked at Marik's face, trying to find any differences if there were any. His lilac eyes traced along his face and to Malik, he looked less maniacal than before. Upon looking closely, he noticed that his darkness' face looked tired and a bit weary. His face looked strained and less sharp than before. He didn't look at all like Malik remembered. "You seem kind of different." Malik commented innocently, quickly looking away when Marik's eyes shifted to look at him.

"I suppose so but I could say the same thing about you. You're not as crazy as you use to be." Marik smirked.

"I'm pretty sure I got my crazy from you." Malik deadpanned as he and his darker half arrived at his apartment building. The two climbed up the stairs, both trading a series of arguments and Malik paused at the door to his and Ryou's apartment. He entered the digital code to open the door noticing how Marik seethed at the lock.

"I absolutely hate that thing." He muttered.

Malik looked at him strangely before shrugging, "Don't forget, Ryou and I live together so you better behave yourself." He whispered as he pushed open the door. Malik walked through the door with his other half following behind. "Ryou? Ryou, I'm home!" The blonde took off his shoes and instructed Marik to do the same.

"I wonder where he is." Malik mused to himself. He then turned towards Marik, "Be nice." He reminded again causing Marik to growl in annoyance.

"Hop off my ass, Malik." He swore with a glare.

A small smile became apparent on Malik's face upon hearing his dark half use his real name. "You don't seem so hateful anymore." He remarked as he leaned against back against the wall.

"That is because _you_ aren't so hateful anymore. Don't forget, we are one in the same. What you feel, I feel too. You accepted your destiny as a tomb keeper but you have yet to accept me, the hatred in your heart." Marik replied back, wisely. He then paused, his expression thoughtful before he let out a sigh. "I'm learning."

Malik looked at him confusingly again as the two made their way into the living room and opened his mouth to make a reply when all of a sudden a crash was heard from the living room causing him to snap his attention towards the room. What he then saw was Bakura looking thunderous, standing in front of a shocked Ryou.

"You!" Bakura cried furiously as he jumped up, his fists clenched. His light blue eyes glaring at the evil spirit that had once belonged in Malik's Millennium Rod.

Marik chuckled darkly and bowed his head in a mock greeting. "Ah, the tomb robber. What a pleasant surprise, I see your vessel is looking fine." He smirked, shifting his eyes to look at Ryou who backed away slightly. "Hello Ryou," he greeted with a somewhat evil glint to his eyes. "Is that any way to treat an old friend?" He glared back.

The smaller blonde rolled his eyes and yanked hard on Marik's hair causing his other self to let out a growl. "I told you to behave. Stop being stupid and go make peace with Bakura." He then walked over to Ryou. "Sorry I'm home late, I got too into studying." He said apologized with a smile, rubbing the back of his head embarrassingly.

Ryou looked at Marik quickly before smiling at Ryou reassuringly. "It's no problem, I'm just glad you're home. Welcome home, Malik!" Ryou then took Malik's hand, leading him into the kitchen, leaving their dark halves glaring at each other in the living room. "It's strange, isn't it? Bakura and Marik are back."

Malik sighed tiredly, leaning against their island countertop as he rubbed his temples. "I can't even explain it. Do you we should talk to my sister about this? Perhaps a new prophecy has arisen. I wonder if this means the Pharaoh is also back." He smiled in thanks as Ryou poured him a glass of water.

"We should check on Yugi tomorrow then." Ryou concluded.

"Bakura, you should learn to not hold grudges over people. Battle City was years ago!" Marik evilly sneered.

"You sent me to the fucking Shadow Realm!" The past tomb robber retorted loudly.

The two voices of Bakura and Marik erupted from the living room causing both Malik and Ryou to shake their heads. "Let's hope they don't kill each other." Ryou said half-jokingly. Malik winced, not looking convinced.

"Alright bitch, I challenge you to a rematch!" Bakura's voice exploded again. "Ryou, where's my deck!"

"You'll regret this, you petty tomb robber! Remember you were the loser last time!" Marik responded. "Malik, give me your deck!" He called.

"I think they're bonding." Malik commented lightly.

"It does seem that way doesn't it?" Ryou agreed. A soft smile then appeared on Ryou's lips. "Bakura's changed though; he's not so hateful anymore."

Malik took a sip from his glass of water and nodded. "Marik's the same way. Perhaps now these two can start anew."

"_Tabula Rasa." _Ryou said softly. He then grabbed Malik's hand again. "Let's go watch them duel, I haven't seen a good one in ages! It's been years since either of us has dueled. Tomorrow we'll go see Isis and check on Yugi." He then proceeded to drag Malik back into the living room to watch Marik and Bakura duel.

* * *

><p>Author's End Note: That was a horrible chapter, I do apologize. Flames are welcomed because I know that this story deserves a torching. I structured my characters in a realistic setting and if they do seem out of character, I promise that it will be explained as the story progresses. Honestly, out of all the segments I wrote, I actually only liked certain parts. I liked the Puzzleshipping part a lot though I hated writing the Puppyshipping one. It's ironic because puzzleshipping is probably my least favorite out of the four and puppyshipping is one of my favorites. I was satisfied with the end parts of the tendershipping and bronzeshipping but I hated the beginnings. And just to clarify: BR MM YY are not yet together but SJ are<p>

I promise that of course the story will develop more, as always, the first chapter is more of a introduction. Please take the time to read and review, it'll make me smile. Thank you again for reading and until next chapter. I'm actually really sorry as to how short this chapter is, I couldn't seem to write more and I was a rush to finish it.

Final Word Count: 9k  
>Final Character Count: 40k+<br>Pages: 20


	2. Reunion I

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! or its characters.

Title: An Unexpected Revival

Pairings: Yami/Yugi, Bakura/Ryou, Seto/Jou, Marik/Malik

Chapter: 2 "**Reunion"**

Summary: One by one, the darker halves of Yugi, Ryou, and Malik begin reappearing back into their lives which cause initial feelings of friendship to be replaced by feelings of love. Newfound relationships are then forged. All main pairings YYY BR SJ MM

Rated: M

Author's Notes: I want to first thank **RyouandBakuraforever**, **Puffin**, **Pokemeface**, **Davethecelticguardian**, and two anonymous reviewers for taking the time to review my story. It really means a lot to me to see them because it motivates me to write more. I also am really sorry for the grammatical errors; I didn't include words in my sentences a whole lot. I am in the process of looking for a Beta and so until I find one, I will try my best to minimize the errors. I have gotten over 100 hits and 80 visitors since I first published my story and please, if you are reading my story, please leave me a review. I'd love to hear any thoughts, reactions, questions or criticisms you might have as they will all help me grow as a writer.

**Puffin**, _Tabula Rasa_ means a "clean slate" and I apologize for not clarifying that in the previous chapter.

**RyouandBakuraforever**, Thank you so much for your review, it made me smile really big :) And I fail so bad in tenses, my English professors always remind me about that :)

On a side note, today's my 27 Monthversary hahaha. I'm in a chipper mood :)

Ages  
>Yugi Mutou: 21 years old<br>Ryou Bakura: 21 years old  
>Katsuya "Jou" Jounouchi: 21 years old<br>Seto Kaiba: 20 years old  
>Malik Ishtar: 20 years old<p>

/blahblah/ Yugi to Yami  
>blahblah/ Yami to Yugi  
>_blahblah_/Ryou to Bakura  
>_blahblah_/ Bakura to Ryou  
>**blahblah**/ Malik to Marik  
>**blahblah**/ Marik to Malik

* * *

><p>After Bakura and Marik's duel the night before, hostility had broken out between the two as they continuingly butted heads and argued. Obviously Bakura hadn't forgiven Marik for sending him to the Shadow Realm and the other darkness was just infuriated with Bakura. They fought like dogs, trading insults and baring fangs. It got to a point where Malik and Ryou felt the need to separate the two till they had calmed down. And so Bakura spent the night in Ryou's room, sleeping on a futon that his light had laid at for him.<p>

Malik was hesitant but he allowed Marik to spend the night in his room however unfortunately, he had forgotten that his room was severely messy. He had several books and study materials spewed around the room and so it was impossible for Marik to sleep on the floor. Malik was flustered and horrified at the idea of having to share a bed with his darkness but Marik merely shrugged it off and climbed into bed without a backwards glance. Needless to say, it was an interesting night for Malik indeed.

Ryou had always been an early riser. After completing his morning routine of brushing his teeth, showering, and washing his face, he went towards the kitchen for a quick breakfast. He made sure to walk slowly so he wouldn't disturb his sleeping friends. After fixing himself with a quick breakfast of cereal, Ryou walked back into his room. The white haired boy tip toed around the sleeping form of Bakura and sat on his bed with his legs crossed. Brown eyes looked down and studied the thief king's sleeping face.

Bakura's face looked soft when he slept. It was absent of the usual scowl that marred his face. He was lying on his back with his right hand resting on his stomach, eyes closed with his hair spilled about around his head. His winged locks sunk down and brushed by his closed eyes. He looked quite handsome when he slept, there was no denying that. Ryou smiled and pulled out a sketchbook and pencil. He then proceeded to draw his sleeping darkness.

He firstly drew the outline of Bakura's face and upper torso before darkening it. He took his time as he went back over the sketch and focused on drawing Bakura's hair and then the contours of his face. Ryou held his pencil at angle to shade the shadows of both Bakura's face and on different sections of his hair. He would pause every now and then to study Bakura's face before looking back downwards and concentrating on his sketch. Ryou leaned down to get a closer look and it was at that moment he lost his balance and fell over the side of the bed onto Bakura, therefore waking him.

"What the hell?" Bakura spoke out, opening his eyes and blinking away his sleepiness. His light blue eyes were met with a mane of white hair that obviously belonged to Ryou. Ryou had managed to fall over Bakura so that his chest was to Bakura's face; the two seemed to have formed an "L" shape. "Vessel, what are you doing?" he asked calmly, more confused than annoyed.

Ryou's face burned as he struggled to sit up. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" he apologized, clumsily pushing himself off his darkness. Ryou refused to look at Bakura for he was extremely embarrassed and red in the face. His pale arms shot up to hide his face as he sat back against the side of his bed.

Bakura pushed himself up and rested his weight on his left elbow, a thin gray brow raised amusingly. He regarded Ryou with an interesting expression, "No harm done, may I ask why you felt the need to straddle me this morning?" he asked charmingly.

Bakura's question only made Ryou blush harder as he hurried to burrow his face deeper into his arms. "I-I wasn't straddling you! I just fell, that's all!" He reasoned, his voice muffled by his arms.

A second brow was then raised and joined the first. The tanned boy reached out and grabbed hold of Ryou's wrist so that he could move it but Ryou fought back and struggled to keep his arms in place in front of his face. "Oh relax, Ryou. It is not that big of a deal." Since Bakura was stronger, in the end he won the battle of moving Ryou's arm but Ryou still refused to look at him. Bakura then opted for another approach as he spied the sketch pad lying beside Ryou. "You drew me." He inquired.

Ryou nodded, smiling embarrassingly as he looked at Bakura shyly. "Yeah, you looked so peaceful that I couldn't help it."

Bakura merely grunted in reply as he ran a hand through his spiky gray hair. He stifled a small yawn as he full sat up, looking at Ryou. "Did you finish your drawing?" The other boy shook his head and picked up his sketchbook. "I'm not going anywhere, go ahead and finish it." The thief said softly.

The white haired boy's eyes twinkled in thanks as he went back to drawing. He focused his attention on the interesting scar below Bakura's right eye. "Bakura? How did you get your scar?" He asked somewhat timidly.

Bakura winced inwardly, averting his eyes as he looked away.

"We don't have to talk about it if you're not comfortable." Ryou reminded gently.

The room was silent for several minutes before Bakura let out a sigh. He raised a hand to place it on his right cheek, his fingers tracing along his three scars before his hand fell away. "I did it to myself." From the corner of his eyes, Bakura saw Ryou gasped slightly. "It was after my family and friends were slaughtered in Kul Elna. They all died and all I did was watch in fear. I was the only survivor. I was a coward and the only way I knew how to repent was to also give blood. And so, I struck myself. See this one?" Bakura pointed to the longest scar that ran down his right cheek vertically, "This was for Akane, my sister." He then indicated towards the two scars that ran parallel over his longer scar, "These two are for my mother and father."

Ryou looked sympathetic for his darkness and he placed his hand on Bakura's scar. Affectionately, he rubbed at the scarred skin. Bakura closed his eyes, feeling warmth spread through his marred skin. "I'm sorry," was all Ryou said.

The two fell into a companionable silence, neither of the two moved or talked. Bakura covered Ryou's hand with his own tan one for a brief second before bringing both their hands down. "Don't apologize; it all happened many years ago." Bakura drew back his hand and his cheek suddenly felt cold again. He wouldn't admit it but he missed the warmth from Ryou's touch.

"I lost my mother and sister too."

"I know. You turned out fine though. You didn't turn out to be a deranged killer like me bent on revenge." Bakura said amusingly as he stood up. "Ryou," he said, extending a hand. "Come; let's go to the living room."

Ryou looked up into the eyes of his darkness and saw a different light in them; one that held new light to them. They didn't seem cold and dark like they had many years ago. Now, they just seemed content. Ryou accepted the hand and with a small jerk of his hand, Bakura brought him to his feet. "You're pretty strong, you know." Ryou commented.

Bakura only shrugged and walked out the room. "I'm hungry, make me food."

"Okay, what do you want?"

Bakura hummed in thought before he gleefully smiled. "Steak, I want steak. Make it as raw as possible."

Ryou paled slightly. "You want to eat steak in the morning? Are you serious?" Bakura then nodded animatedly. The white haired boy could only sigh as he nodded in defeat and went to go cook for his darkness. "You're so odd, Bakura."

"Hurry up and make me a damn steak!" was all Bakura said in return, causing Ryou to shake his head.

* * *

><p>Marik let out a groan as he slowly opened his eyes. Lilac eyes blinked before shutting themselves quickly, not yet adjusted to the bright light of morning. Opening one eye, he surveyed his surroundings before opening another eye. Looking around, he assessed that he was still in Malik's room and in his bed. Marik rose into a sitting position which caused the blanket that had been covering his chest to slip down to his waist.<p>

A content sigh was heard and Marik turned his attention to his sleeping other self. He watched as Malik slept peacefully, his back facing Marik. Lilac eyes watched the rise and fall of Malik's chest and the small, even breaths that followed. Marik looked at the bronze back, eyes raking over the ancient Egyptian scriptures that were carved into his back. His eyes seemed to soften slightly upon seeing them. He turned to look over his shoulder at his own markings. Just like Malik, Marik had also been inscribed with the tomb keeper's initiation.

His eyes then snapped back towards Malik when he felt a cold chill go down his spine. And at that moment, Malik began shivering, involuntarily drawing the blanket closer to his body. Marik watched his other self with inquiring eyes as Malik started shaking. Malik's thin brows knitted together in obvious discomfort. After a few minutes, Marik let out a small grunt and Marik reached over the side of the bed, grabbing his purple cloak. He then proceeded to drape the cloak around Malik as a second layer to keep him warm and an amused look passed Marik's face when Malik stopped his shivering and instead, snuggled closer to the cloak

Marik slipped out of the bed and after looking at his light once more, left for the bathroom. He turned on the faucet and bent down, sticking his head into the sink. The hatred groaned softly as he felt the cold water cascade down his hair till it trickled down his face. After a few minutes, Marik pulled away and looked at his reflection in the mirror that was hung above the sink. The sound of running water was heard as Marik stared at his reflection. He watched as the water ran down his face, noticing how individual trickles came together to form bigger trails of water.

"You done?" a voice said from the doorframe causing Marik to snap his attention towards it. Malik stood in the doorframe with his arms hanging by his sides and hair looking slightly ruffled like he had just woken up. His face looked tired but his eyes were lively.

Marik nodded mutely as he watched his other self walk into the bathroom and begin brushing his teeth before then washing his face. Malik ran tan fingers through his hair, a frown forming when he felt knots and tangles. "Thank you." He said suddenly causing Marik to raise a brow.

"And what are you thanking me for?"

Malik looked at his reflection in the mirror and saw Marik standing behind him with his arms crossed. "For keeping me warm." Malik then spun around and walked towards Marik, grabbing a towel on the way. He placed a hand on his darkness' right shoulder, pushing him down slightly.

Marik understood and bent forward slightly so his forehead was inches away from Malik's shoulder. Malik watched the water that was initially on the tips of Marik's hair drip downwards and with a sigh; Malik began drying Marik's hair. The once spirit of the Millennium Rod let out a surprised grunt before submitting. The towel ran through Marik's wild spikes, drying the wet hair. "This is my thanks to you."

The two halves fell into a silence before Marik merely shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm learning."

A look of confusion passed the young Egyptian's face upon hearing Marik say the same phrase he had yesterday upon their reunion. "What are you learning?" Malik asked, stepping away from him, the towel draped over his arm.

"I'm learning how to live again." Marik replied simply. "I've been locked away for so many years that I've forgotten how to live. I've forgotten how to interact; I've forgotten how to just function without malice or hate. This is the first time you've acknowledge my existence in several years. Being locked away in total blackness isn't particularly enjoyable – It makes me somewhat understand how the Tomb Robber's vessel felt when he was suppressed by the thief."

Malik shook his head. "With Rishid's help, I managed to suppress you for years, ever since you first appeared and killed my father. How was the past five years any different?"

Marik only looked at him before opening his mouth to reply, "Simple, I appeared when you were still a child. That fool's influence on you within the passing years caused you to forget about me. He successfully made you forget about me for years. You failed to remember me, a darkness inside of you that only appeared during times of extreme pain and suffering. It wasn't until he foolishly angered Ra that I made my return. You remember that, don't you? When he was not knocked unconscious, I was able to seize control of you?" Marik asked.

Malik frowned, flinching slightly at that memory before nodding.

"Ra rendered him unconscious which then awakened me. He failed you by angering the gods and so his punishment was in the form of me. Nor he or you could suppress me anymore and so I broke free." Marik finished.

Malik tilted his head slightly before looking up into identical eyes of lavender. "You're learning how to live? Learning how to socialize? Learning not to hate? Learning to live?" he asked, watching his darkness intently.

Marik inclined his head slightly in a nod.

"Then allow me to be your teacher." Malik compromised. "Maybe then I can finally accept this ugly part of myself and just move on." The two shared a solemn look before Malik spoke again, "Then you can finally disappear from my life."

The other merely chuckled darkly. "There will always be hate and pain in this world; I doubt you'll get rid of me so easily."

"I can try." Malik said dryly as he walked out the bathroom with Marik following. The two walked out into the kitchen and saw Bakura hungrily devouring a piece of steak while Ryou watched somewhat disgustingly. The two were sitting at the island countertop side by side, both unaware of the newcomers into the room.

"Good morning, Ryou! Good morning Bakura!" Malik chimed, coming up to stand in front of the two, a grin on his face. Marik stayed back, observing the three.

"Good morning, Malik!" Ryou smiled. He then peered around Malik and reddened slightly. "Good morning, Marik. I hope you slept well last night!" He greeted shyly to which Marik nodded silently in his own form of greeting. He looked towards the eating tomb robber and smirked, walking forward to stand beside his other half.

"Ah Bakura, how nice it is to see you." Marik said pleasantly.

Bakura glared at him as he chewed his raw steak greedily. His light blue eyes turned into slits when he saw the blonde smirk. Bakura savagely torn off another piece of meat and quickly swallowed it before a fang appeared. "Go to hell, you deranged psychopath."

"And this is coming from the spirit who was actually sent to the Underworld, Anubis pities you." He venomously retorted.

Ryou and Malik simultaneously looked at each other and began counting off in their heads. "Three, two, one…" The two mentally counted in unison and as if on cue, Marik whipped out the dagger from within his Millennium Rod and Bakura pulled out his large steak knife, both of the two darker halves dangerously pointing the sharpened points towards one another.

"Bakura, don't be brash!"

"Don't be stupid, Marik!"

Marik and Bakura then turned towards their lights and glared harshly, shutting them both up before turning towards each other. In a quick second, the two lunged forward to each other, hands flying to grab at one another's throat. Marik had his right hand around Bakura's neck while he held the Millennium Rod in his left. Bakura had both his hands around Marik's neck with the dagger held loosely between his teeth.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance. You belong in the Shadow Realm, you arrogant, piece of shit." Marik growled out, his grip tightening. "You're lucky. You don't know what it's like to be locked away. You think you're King, don't you? That you can take over your vessel's body whenever you want? That you can do whatever the fuck you want? How pitiful!"

"I am King." Bakura said, his words spoken out in a sharp staccato to stress his meaning. As he spoke, the dagger between his teeth clattered before Bakura threw it to the ground. Bakura then chuckled evilly as he in turn leaned closer to Marik's face, the sharp curve of the knife inches away from Marik's nose. "And what are you? I'll tell you what you are; you're an unimportant and ugly part of Malik. He's ashamed of you; you're nothing but a burden to him. You think he enjoys seeing you again? Do you think he has forgiven you for murdering his father?" His evil smirk grew wider, "My apologies, he's your father too."

Marik let out an enrage roar and moved to stab the gray haired boy in the neck but both Malik and Ryou dove towards him. They pulled on his arm but Marik was so furious that he practically lifted them both off the ground. It looked comical in a way; both Ryou and Malik were hanging on Marik by his forearm and he still had them suspended in the air.

"Stop this, Marik! This fighting between you and Bakura is completely pointless!" Malik yelled loudly. He tightened his grip on Marik's arm and started shaking him.

"Fighting won't solve anything! Bakura, let go of him!" Ryou shouted towards his darker half.

Both Marik and Bakura let out a final glare at one another before growling lowly. They then lowered their arms; Bakura's arm now resting at his side while Marik lowered both lights to the ground. Ryou came to stand beside Bakura as his eyes looked over the bruises on his darkness' neck. "You're an idiot." Ryou scolded, walking away to fetch an ointment to dab at the marks.

Malik glared at his other self. "You're an idiot too." He then turned his glare towards Bakura. "You and Marik need to stop fighting. It's getting to a point where it's just ridiculous. Don't make it any harder for Ryou and me than it already is. It's weird to see you two again but it sucks even more to see you two fighting all the time. You must have something in common. Go ahead, identify with one another." Malik said impatiently before going off to help Ryou look for a medical kit.

Lilac and light blue eyes glared at each other again. "My other self is right and as much as I hate to admit it, you would have been a formidable ally against the Pharaoh." Marik said, somewhat impassively as he crossed his arms.

Bakura let out a snort as he too crossed his arms. "I sided along with Malik, not with you. Though I do agree, I hate the Pharaoh as well. You and I would have been quite the team against the Pharaoh."

They two looked at one another before looking away quickly. An awkward silence fell between them before Bakura cleared his throat. "For the sake of our lights, I suppose we can come to a mutual understanding not to kill each other all the time." Bakura nodded.

Marik looked at him and nodded as well. "Though for our own amusement, a fight here and there wouldn't be so bad." He joked albeit humorously as sheathed the daggers from his Millennium Rod. Bakura only smirked in reply.

"Did you two kiss and make up yet?" Malik inquired as he and Ryou walked back into the kitchen. They were answered with a roll of the eyes from each of their darkness. Both Marik and Bakura let out a grunt and crossed their arms, looking away from each other to keep up an appearance. Both college students laughed as they moved forward to begin dabbing at the bruises on their other self's necks.

After a series of loud curses as well as Egyptian swears, the once stinging bruises on Marik and Bakura's necks now faded to a small ache. The four moved to the living room where Ryou resumed his painting, Malik began studying and Marik and Bakura awkwardly watched their lights.

"You think the Pharaoh's back?" Bakura suddenly spoke up.

"Maybe, if you two are back that might mean he is as well." Malik answered nonchalantly, as he casually flipped over the page of his textbook.

"We should check on Yugi." Ryou said wisely as he picked up his cell phone. The remaining three watched with amused eyes as Ryou punched in one number and the phone began ringing. Ryou blinked and blushed when he saw their stares. "It's not weird to have a friend on speed dial." He defended himself lightly causing Bakura, Malik and Marik to chuckle. When he heard someone pick up the phone, Ryou immediately pressed the speaker button.

"_Hello?_" Yugi's voice said over the phone.

"Yugi? It's Ryou! Malik and I wanted to talk to you about something, are you busy right now?" Ryou said, holding the phone up to his ear. He watched as the other three involuntarily leaned in closer to try and hear the conversation.

"_Oh! Hey Ryou! Not really, I don't have anything big planned today_." There was a pause before Yugi spoke again. "_Actually, I want you to talk to somebody, hold on-"_

Marik and Bakura then shared a look before a mutual agreement passed through their minds. With evil smirks, they quickly turned towards one another. "I think it's about time we made our presence known to little Yugi." Marik whispered softly so that only Bakura could hear. Bakura answered with a nod before opening his mouth, "MALIK, I'VE HAD JUST ABOUT ENOUGH OF YOUR INSANE PSYCHOTIC OTHER SELF!" He screamed.

"YOU FOOL! YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE ME_!" _Marik loudly taunted over the speaker.

Marik then pounced on Bakura, causing lots of crashing sounds to be heard. The two traded a series of Egyptian curses as Marik's fists began flying everywhere. Marik had bent down low so that his hair could cover the smirk on Bakura's face as the thief effortlessly dodged Marik's careless punches.

And then all of a sudden...

"_TOMB ROBBER! YOU VILE, DISGUSTING PIECE OF FILTH! WHY HAVE YOU RETURNED? AND YOU, MARIK! HOW DARE YOU DEFILE YOURSELF AGAIN BY REAPPEARING?"_ Yami yelled over the speaker.

Marik and Bakura paused long enough to look over at the phone. Bakura angled his head around Marik and he chuckled darkly to himself upon hearing Yami's voice.

"IS THAT THE PHARAOH?_" _Bakura shouted so that he could be heard.

"PHARAOH! IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, HASN'T IT? YOU DIDN'T EXPECT TO SEE ME AGAIN, DID YOU_?" _Marik shouted gleefully in a diabolical manner as he extended his long arm to take Ryou's cellphone.

There was a pause and the sound of someone taking back the phone was then heard as Yugi spoke again, "_Ryou? Are Bakura and Marik really back_?"

Ryou let out a small growl of his own before taking back the phone causing Marik and Bakura let out some Egyptian curses. "It's true. And I see that Yami is also back but I'm not quite sure why they've all returned."

"_I'm not sure either but we were thinking of going to see Isis and Rishid, maybe they can help us."_

"Malik suggested the same thing. How about you guys come over here and we'll call them over too?_" _Malik then looked up from his textbook and shouted from the background. "Malik says to bring the Millennium Necklace." Ryou added.

"_We'll be there in an hour_." Yugi said before the two said their goodbyes and hung up.

Ryou turned to the three and a small smile passed his face. "I guess we're in for a reunion."

* * *

><p>It was now the morning of the day after Yugi and Yami were reunited. The sun radiated with bright, warm rays as sunlight poured into Yugi's room through the window thereby illuminating it. At that exact moment, the harsh and high pitched shrill of Yugi's alarm clock sounded throughout the room, waking both tri-colored haired boys. A pair of innocent, amethyst eyes slowly opened as the owner yawned tiredly and rubbed at his eyes with a closed fist. One eye opened at looked at the digital clock on his desk, it read 9:15<p>

Yami let out a groan as he ran a hand through his bangs, also feeling a bit groggy. The two friends had stayed up well into the night dueling and talking with each other. It seemed that they both had lost track of time until ultimately they crashed out on Yugi's bed. "Good morning, little one." He greeted with a soft voice.

The smaller of the two stretched out his arms and legs, feeling more awake. He looked at his other self with a big smile. "You're still here." Yugi said with happiness in his voice. "I was worried for a second that you might've disappeared and last night was just a dream."

The Pharaoh chuckled and got to his feet. He threw his navy jacket over his shoulders and turned to his light. "Come Yugi let's go and –"he paused when he saw Yugi thrust the Millennium Puzzle forward. "What are you doing?" He said with a frown.

"I want you to wear the Millennium Puzzle, Yami. After all, it is rightfully yours." The King of Games held the puzzle up to Yami earnestly, wanting him to wear it. When the other hadn't responded, Yugi stood on the bed. From his position on top of the bed, this time he towered over Yami. Taking the silver chains in his hand, he draped the Millennium Puzzle over Yami's neck just as Yami did for him last night. Yugi then leaned his head down and rested his forehead against Yami's. "The Pharaoh should wear his Millennium Puzzle."

Crimson eyes softened as Yami looked up into his light's amethyst ones. "Thank you Yugi, you really are my most trusted friend." The Pharaoh smiled at him and bowed his head slightly in acceptance, his nose almost brushing against Yugi's nose, causing a small blush to taint Yugi's cheeks. Yami then placed his hands on Yugi's waist and gently lifted up before placing him down on the ground.

Yugi let out a surprised gasp, his face reddening as he fully blushed in embarrassment. "Come on Yami, let's go see Grandpa!" he said quickly, dashing away out towards the door. He paused upon reaching the doorframe and then turned his head, his cheeks still a pinkish hue. "Welcome home."

Yami smiled warmly at that. "I'm home." He replied back, following Yugi out the door and down the stairs to the Kame Game Shop. When they arrived downstairs, they saw Sugoroku opening a box of new cards.

"Grandpa! Grandpa, look!" Yugi called, excitingly. He practically ran to his grandfather and started tugging on the back of his clothes. Yami could only laugh at his light's enthusiasm as he walked forward to stand behind Sugoroku.

The old man turned around and he looked up at the tall form of the Pharaoh. Amethyst eyes identical to Yugi's traced and focused on Yami's face before a smile formed on his lips. "Yami, welcome back!" He greeted, wrapping his arms around Yami in a loving embrace. "How good it is to see you again, my grandson!"

The old man's kind word words brought a smile to Yami's face as he returned the embrace. "I'm home, Grandpa. It has been a long time." He closed his eyes peacefully and when he heard a soft giggle, Yami looked at Yugi and saw that he was smiling happily. With a nudge of his head, the once nameless pharaoh beckoned Yugi over to which he eagerly complied. Moving slightly to the side but not breaking from his grandfather's embrace, Yami pulled Yugi to the center so that he and Sugoroku could both embrace him.

"My precious grandsons." Sugoroku whispered happily causing Yami and Yugi to share a smile.

They then all pulled away and began conversing together as a family as both Yugi and Yami helped their grandfather go through the new packages of cards that were to be sold at the shop. Yami told Sugoroku of the confusing events that he experienced when he reappeared while Yugi added other small details. Both boys opened the rest of the packages of new cards and organized them on the shelves. After an hour, Sugoroku had disappeared upstairs, leaving Yami and Yugi downstairs. It was then that Yugi's ringtone sounded from his pocket.

Yugi paused and looked down towards the right pocket of his pants. In his hands, he carried a box of unopened cards and he made a move to set it down before Yami took it from his hand so that he could answer his phone. Yugi smiled at him in thanks before taking out his phone.

"Hello?" Yugi questioned into the phone.

"_Yugi? It's Ryou! Malik and I wanted to talk to you about something, are you busy right now?_" Ryou's voice sounded through the phone.

"Oh! Hey Ryou! Not really, I don't have anything big planned today." Yugi grinned. He then looked at his darker half who raised a brow. "Actually, I want you to talk to somebody, hold on-"Yugi then clicked the speaker button on his voice and indicated to Yami to say hello.

Ryou was silent which made Yami pause in his greeting. Yugi's darkness frowned slightly, looking at Yugi in confusion. And then all of a sudden, a loud voice exploded from Ryou's side of the phone.

"MALIK, I'VE HAD JUST ABOUT ENOUGH OF YOUR INSANE PSYCHOTIC OTHER SELF!" Bakura's voice hollered over the speaker.

"YOU FOOL! YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE ME_!" _Marik loudly taunted over the speaker.

Both crimson and amethyst eyes grew wide as they simultaneously looked at each other. Yami dropped the box and came to stand beside his light, glaring at the phone in his light's hand.

/Was that…?/ Yami growled out in their mind link.

/Bakura and Marik?/ Yugi questioned back uncertainly.

/Fuck me, it is!/

Yami lunged for the phone in Yugi's hand and held it up to his face with an enraged glare. "TOMB ROBBER! YOU VILE, DISGUSTING PIECE OF FILTH! WHY HAVE YOU RETURNED? AND YOU, MARIK! HOW DARE YOU DEFILE YOURSELF AGAIN BY REAPPEARING?" He yelled.

"_IS THAT THE PHARAOH?" _Bakura shouted over the speaker.

"_PHARAOH! IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, HASN'T IT? YOU DIDN'T EXPECT TO SEE ME AGAIN, DID YOU?" _Marik shouted gleefully in a diabolical manner.

The King of Games yanked back his phone before the spirits that had inhabited the Millennium Items could start a screaming match. He turned away so his back faced Yami. "Ryou? Are Bakura and Marik really back?" There were then a series of loud Egyptian curses before Ryou could take back the phone.

"_It's true. And I see that Yami is also back but I'm not quite sure why they've all returned." _

"I'm not sure either but we were thinking of going to see Isis and Rishid, maybe they can help us."

"_Malik suggested the same thing. How about you guys come over here and we'll call them over too?" _There was a sound of movement as Malik shouted something in the background. "_Malik says to bring the Millennium Necklace." _

Yugi nodded at the phone. "We'll be there in an hour." The two said their goodbyes and the smaller boy pocketed his phone. With determined eyes, he turned back around to face Yami who was looking solemn. "I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen." The ancient pharaoh could only cross his arms in agreement.

"It seems that way doesn't it?"

The light could only sigh as he looked at Yami one last time before climbing back up the stairs to his room. Yugi walked into his room and went to the golden box where he kept all his other Millennium Items. He placed a hand on the lid and paused, taking a moment to himself. The faint sounds of footsteps were heard as Yami joined him in his room but Yugi hadn't noticed. "I hope nothing bad happens." Yugi mentally said.

/Either way, we will face it. And we will face it together/ Yami comforted as he placed a hand on the other side of the lid. He turned his face towards his smaller light and nodded slightly. Together, the two old friends lifted the lid off and Yugi fished around for the Millennium Necklace. Upon finding it, he placed it in the pocket of his jacket.

"Let's go, Yami."

* * *

><p>Author's Note: Sorry loves, no Puppyshipping this chapter! I wanted to get this chapter out as quickly as I could so for now this chapter belongs to the lights and their darkness. But of course, next chapter will have its Puppyshipping so don't worry! Next chapter will show some plot development too, exciting, no? And I'm sad at how much shorter this chapter was :( And if some of the words didn't match up from the phone conversation between Ryou and Yugi, it's cause I'm lazy and copiedpasted and just editted.

Please read and review! When I see reviews, it makes me want to write faster :)

Words: 6k  
>Letters: 27k<br>Pages: 13


	3. Reunion II

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! or its characters.

Chapter: 3 "**Reunion Part II"**

Author's Notes: Thank you to all those who read the second chapter of my story! I'd also like to personally thank **Angeldrkfire, RyouandBakuraforever,** **Foxluna, pokemeface, davethecelticguardian, aoiaoi, ignited1556 and one anonymous reviewer **for taking the time to review the story!I've had 200 hits and 130 visitors so far! This makes me happy! I'm actually thinking I'll regularly update this now. Reviews make my day hahaha so thank you again for sharing with me your thoughts :) Another thing about this chapter, the yami/hikari pairings will not have their own chapters because this chapter is about all of them interacting together. And hey hey, I shortened the garbage up there.

Careful guys, I'm listening to some crazy dubstep right now so my mind is all over the place!

**RyouandBakuraforever**: Your reviews make me smile and I kind of adore you :) I thought it was a sweet thing to add too; in my eyes, Yami is just as much Sugoroku's grandson as Yugi is. And again, thank you so much for your detailed reviews!

**Aoiaoi**: Actually, Puzzleshipping is my least favorite to write. I just started finding them interesting but I really honestly don't know how to write their relationship at all. I'm more of a Tendershipping gal. But thank you :)

Ages  
>Yugi Mutou: 21 years old<br>Ryou Bakura: 21 years old  
>Katsuya "Jou" Jounouchi: 21 years old<br>Seto Kaiba: 20 years old  
>Malik Ishtar: 20 years old<p>

/blahblah/ Yugi to Yami  
>blahblah/ Yami to Yugi  
>_blahblah_/Ryou to Bakura  
>_blahblah_/ Bakura to Ryou  
>**blahblah**/ Malik to Marik  
>**blahblah**/ Marik to Malik

* * *

><p>"Did you really have to bring the deck, Yami?" Yugi asked with a pointed look in his eyes. It was now an hour after his conversation with Ryou and so Yugi and Yami were now walking up the stairs that led to Ryou and Malik's apartment room. Yami had insisted that he bring his deck for he was very much still wary of the newly revived spirits.<p>

"Partner, of course I have to bring it! Don't tell me that you trust Marik and Bakura? Forgive my memory but I do still instinctively recall those two trying to kill us!" Yami said exasperatedly. He was marching up the stairs quickly, his shoes slapping against the metal stairs loudly. Anyone could tell how angry Yami was in the way he walked; it was just so loud and loud and certainly uncalled for. "What if those two try to do something? I need to protect you!"

Although Yami spoke kind and heartfelt words, Yugi still looked somewhat peeved. "Thanks Yami but think about it, Ryou and Malik certainly weren't freaking out over the phone like you are doing right now. So that means that, A) Bakura and Marik have turned to the good side, B) Marik and Bakura are threatening them to say that, C) Bakura and Marik are actually decent now. Now which one do you think it is?"

Yami uncharacteristically glared at his light and replied, "I pick D) Marik and Bakura are fucktards and I should Mind Crush them (1). His crimson eyes burned with a fire as he thought about his past two enemies. "Why should we trust them? They've done nothing but hurt us! Did you forget, Yugi?" Yami yelled causing him and Yugi to halt their walking and look at each other. "Marik sent Mai and Ryou to the Shadow Realm! Because of him, Jou was knocked unconscious! And Bakura! He merged with Zorc and tried to kill not only me, but you and all of our friends! Honda, Anzu, and Jou!"

"I didn't forget!" Yugi roared, clenching his fists as his eyes sparkled slightly in pain. Yami took a step back, not accustomed to this assertive side to his light. "That wasn't easy for me! Jou is my best friend! They're all my friends! I'm not stupid, Yami! I know those two are pure evil!" His eyes watered as tears began to form. Although Yugi had grown and matured over the years, the subject of his friends being in pain still brought tears to Yugi's eyes. Yugi's body began to shake as he recalled those painful memories. "I had to watch all my friends suffer because of them! I haven't forgotten!" Yugi screamed.

"Yugi, I'm sorry –"Yami intervened, taking a step forward but that didn't stop Yugi from crying.

"I know Marik and Bakura are capable of evil things." Yugi sniffed, rubbing his crying eyes with the sleeve of his blue jacket. "I know they hurt our friends. I know they tried to kill us! But I also know that everyone deserves a second chance. It's clear to me that both Malik and Ryou gave each of their darknesses a second chance – Why can't you do the same?" Yugi asked, looking up at the past Pharaoh with eyes of amethyst.

Yami sighed as he placed his hands on Yugi's shoulders. He closed his eyes as he sighed, leaning his head down till Yugi's forehead touched his headdress. "I'm sorry Yugi. I shouldn't have said those things. I just want to protect you." He offered weakly.

The King of Games stood on his tip toes so that he and Yami could look at each other straight in the eyes. Crimson met amethyst and amethyst met crimson. Creamy white hands reached out to cup Yami's face so that he could look directly at Yugi. "Thank you," He firstly said before continuing, "But please, for me anyway, just be open-minded. I really feel like they could've changed."

Knowing that he was fighting a losing battle, Yami merely nodded his head and Yugi smiled. Together the two walked up the stairs again. They walked in companionable silence before stopping in front of the room to Malik and Ryou's room. Yugi then knocked on the door three times. The two tri-colored hair boys didn't have to wait long for the door was thrown opened by Bakura.

Upon seeing them, Bakura smirked. "Hello there, Yugi."

A faint blush colored the smaller boy's face before he made a small bow at the tomb robber. "Hi Bakura, you look well." It was then silent and Yugi elbowed Yami in the ribs, causing the past pharaoh to let out a sound of discomfort. Crimson eyes glared at Yugi again but he remained silent.

Bakura laughed and his voice seemed absent of any malice. "Yo Pharaoh." He greeted with a two finger mock salute. "It certainly is nice to see you again, your royal asshole." He said, his smirk widening as if to bait him.

The spirit that had once occupied the Millennium Puzzle let out a growl, taking the bait as he took a step forward. "Tomb robber, I would say the same but then I'd be lying." He easily retorted which made Bakura glare at him. The gray haired man did not reply as he stepped to the side, allowing the two to enter into the apartment room. He silently led them to the living room.

Yugi let a small grin cross his face but Yami looked skeptical.

/See! Look how nice he is/ Yugi chimed through their mind link.

/I still don't trust him/ Yami replied back.

The newcomers entered the room as Malik stepped out to lead them to the couch. "Hey Yugi! How are you and how has school been?" he began conversationally. Before Yugi could respond, Malik turned to Yami with a grin. "Hello Pharaoh, you are looking lively."

Yami smiled tightly at Malik, "Thank you, you certainly look quite well yourself."

Yami watched as Malik and Yugi began to converse animatedly about school. Their conversation ranged from the homework they received, the professors that had or just the latest DU (2) gossip. His eyes darted to the left and he then began watching Ryou paint with Bakura watching interestingly. He noticed that the white haired boy would stop painting every now and then to answer questions that the tomb robbers would ask. The Pharaoh saw the interaction between the two and scoffed slightly. He wasn't accustomed to seeing the Thief King act so casually with his light and he certainly wasn't accustomed to seeing Ryou return that causality. "I see Yugi. I see Malik and Ryou and Bakura but I don't see…" he trailed off mentally in his head.

A spiky haired blur then phased to the right side of his face causing Yami to jump in alarm. "Hello Pharaoh!" Marik greeted in a gleefully diabolical manner. A twisted smirk was on the blonde's face as looked at Yami. "It is certainly good to see you!" He falsely said with a small sneer. He turned towards Yugi, "And you, hello little Yugi." To which Yugi replied back with a shy greeting of his own.

Yami's face contorted into a face of rage and disgust as he got off the couch and faced Marik. The spirit that had once inhabited the Millennium Rod was leaning over the couch with his arms crossed, seemingly looking as casual as ever.

Malik then peered around Yugi's side and fixed his other self with an annoyed look. "First rule of living Marik, don't lie. If you've got something to say, just say it." He then returned to his conversation with Yugi.

Marik blinked and stuck out his tongue at Malik before curling it slightly and then slipping it back into his mouth. He stood up straight, the smirk never leaving his face. "My apologies Pharaoh," Marik said, tucking in his right arm and he made a bow with his eyes closed.

Yami looked dumbfounded and the only way he could think to respond was with a small nod of his head. "Yes well," he awkwardly began, "I suppose it is alright. It's just surprising to see you and the Thief King so civil." After he spoke, he could feel a glare burning into his back and he turned his head slightly to smirk back at Bakura for he was glaring daggers at him.

The spiky haired blonde hasn't replied, he simply just nodded and moved to stand beside Malik, peering over his shoulder as he listened intently to his and Yugi's conversations.

/They seem different/

/See? They don't seem so bad at all and you threw a bitch fit for nothing/ Yugi giggled into their mind link. Yami blushed slightly at his partner's use of language but shook it away when Marik looked at him knowingly, the smirk back on his face.

Over on the left side of the room, Bakura and Ryou were enjoying one another's company. "Why are you drawing the Priest's Blue Eyes?" Bakura inquired with a raised brow as he watched Ryou paint the majestic dragon. His light blue eyes followed the thin paint strokes that Ryou would carry out.

"Seto's birthday is on the 25th of next month and I thought it'd be nice to give him a painting of his favorite dragon. It seems like a thoughtful gift doesn't it?" Ryou asked, turning to look at Bakura before resuming his painting. He dipped the paintbrush into the light blue and began drawing the Blue Eyes White Dragon's wings.

Bakura's face scowled slightly. "He's got a bit of a dragon fetish (3), don't you think?" he asked back. "I mean he's got that jet and I could just imagine his mansion being littered with statues of them."

Ryou then chose to remain quiet for he did not want to confirm Bakura's assumptions of Seto Kaiba having Blue Eyes statues. Of course Ryou knew the brunette didn't have a dragon fetish but he hadn't replied to Bakura's assumption. "He is quite fond of them," was all that Ryou said. The gray haired man laughed outright at that.

"How do you feel about Yami being here?" Ryou inquired softly so that only Bakura could hear.

Bakura's eyes shifted to the direction where Yami was and he shrugged. "I don't want to kill him if that's what you're asking. Strangely enough, the only thing running through my mind right now is how to piss him off more."

"Ah yes because that's definitely how to mend bad relationships with people." Ryou sarcastically replied.

"Who said I wanted his forgiveness? Fuck that, I'm over it." Bakura swore, crossing his arms. His winged spikes look spikier than normal as he talked, "I won't start any shit unless he does. It's a waste of my time now."

And the two lapsed into a silence once again; the only sound audible was the comforting sound of Ryou's humming as he painted. Bakura watched his light paint and felt a warm sensation in his chest. He placed a tanned hand where his heart was and closed his eyes, faintly listening to the sound of his own beating heart.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good, real good actually." Bakura answered honestly which made Ryou smile to himself.

Back over on the other side, Malik and Yugi were still talking about school and their other selves look quite bored. Their expressions were dazed as their attention was focused on nothing in particular. Malik was the first to notice and he closed his eyes.

/**What are you thinking about?**/ he asked his darkness.

That seemed to awaken him because Marik blinked and looked towards Malik who pretended not to have noticed his other self looking at him.

/**I'm fucking bored**/ Marik said back.

Once Marik regained back his conscious thought, Yami seemed to have jumped back to life for he was looking at Marik with condescending eyes. It annoyed Marik but he knew not to take the Pharaoh's bait.

/**The Pharaoh keeps staring at me. I don't like it. I want to punch him**/ A growl sounded throughout Malik's mind.

/**That would be in the "bad" category of things to do**/ Malik then let out a sigh and opened his eyes. /**Though I suppose we shouldn't be screwing around like this and do what we all came to do**/

/**Have an orgy?**/ Marik innocently asked which Malik's face flare up like a tomato. Upon seeing his other self's reaction, Marik let out a howl of laughter. Blocking out Yugi's concerned questions of if he was okay, Malik clenched a fist.

/**No! Where did you even learn that?**/

/**Bakura taught me**/

/**On second thought, maybe you and Bakura shouldn't make peace with one another. It might be bad if you two became buddy-buddy with one another**/ Malik said, sighing dramatically into his mind link with Marik.

Malik then stood up. "Alright guys, I think its time to finally talk about what's happening." Shared looks of determination was evident on all of the boy's faces as they came together to sit in the middle of the room. Ryou had pulled up his stool and Bakura was sitting on the floor, leaning back against the stool as well as Ryou's legs. Marik was standing beside Malik who was sitting on the left side of the couch while Yugi sat beside him with Yami sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Did you bring the Millennium Necklace?" Ryou wisely asked.

Yugi nodded and reached into his pocket. He pulled out the golden necklace and opened his palm, showing everyone that he had brought it. The golden necklace gleamed in the sunlight that was let in through the balcony window. "I need you guys to close your eyes and concentrate on what you want to see. Obviously, you'll want to concentrate on seeing the six of us in the future. I also need you guys to touch me so that this way we're all connected and therefore will be seeing the same vision together at the same time."

An awkward moment passed for Marik and Bakura as they both frowned uncomfortably. Yami merely chuckled and reached out to hold his partner's left hand in his right. Their fingers closed and interlocked together, tan fingers clasping around creamy white ones. The amount of physical contact between him and Yugi was normal; they were after all the closest of friends. Plus, this wasn't the first time they had held hands (4). Malik held Yugi's right hand in both of his while Marik awkwardly placed his on top of Yugi's tri-colored head; he honestly did not know where else to put it. The King of Games couldn't help but giggle which Marik look away almost embarrassingly.

Ryou placed a hand on Yugi's thigh and when he turned to look at Bakura, he wasn't surprised to see that his darkness hadn't moved an inch and was frozen uncomfortably. The painter smiled tightly and grabbed Bakura's hand to place it on Yugi's knee. Bakura's visibly relaxed once he felt his light's skin against his, Ryou having purposely placed Bakura's hand close to his.

Before Bakura could thank his vessel through their mind link, Ryou giggle sounded through his mind. With a content nod, Bakura indicated to Yugi to begin. Amethyst eyes surveyed around him and when he saw every head nod in agreement, Yugi nodded as well. "Alright everyone, close your eyes and concentrate.

Amethyst eyes closed.

Crimson eyes closed.

Light blue eyes closed.

Chocolate eyes closed.

Two pairs of lilac eyes closed.

* * *

><p>Bakura, Malik, Marik, Ryou, Yami and Yugi all hovered high above the vision in their spirit forms. Their bodies were transparent and see-through. They shared a look with every one of each other before casting their eyes downwards at the scene the Millennium Necklace brought to them. Their shared vision showed a dark and shadowy environment. Black and purple smoke swirled about the environment and a cold chill whispered through the air.<p>

"What is this place?" Yugi questioned.

"It's the Shadow Realm." Yami, Marik, and Bakura all said in unison. Their voices were solemn and slightly eerie. They all looked down at the Shadow Realm with eyes of steel. They six boys watched with inquiring eyes, waiting for an event to happen.

A series of loud roars were then heard, causing all six boys to snap their attention behind them. The roars were so loud that it echoed. What they then saw caused them all to widen their eyes. Below them, standing triumphantly were the figures of Kaiba, Marik, Yami, and Bakura. They all stood side by side but what was the most peculiar was what was standing around each of them.

Yami stood in the center with Slifer the Sky Dragon circling above him. The dragon's red and spiky tail curled protectively around the ancient Pharaoh as its two mouths let out earsplitting roars of anger. Its talons looked sharp and deadly.

Kaiba stood to Yami's right and he was flanked by his three precious Blue Eyes White Dragons. They all spread their wings in an intimidating fashion, their sharp teeth glistening amongst the darkness as they let out their own furious roars. Towering over Kaiba was Obelisk the Tormentor.

Marik was standing on Kaiba's left with his arms crossed. Levitating high above him was Marik's most trusted monster, the Winged Dragon of Ra. It's impressive, yellow body sparkled like gold as it let out a high pitch screech. It then that Ra transformed into its Phoenix mode, its body burning hot embers every time it flapped its massive wings.

Bakura stood on Yami's left and two monsters surrounded him. His Diabound was floating beside him, its snake-like tail was curled around Bakura in a protective manner and it crossed its arms while Bakura's Dark Necrofear flanked his other side. Her arms were crossed and her eyes were a deep color of midnight black as she guarded her master.

"What is going on? What's the reason for our monsters standing beside us like that?" Yami asked.

And then all of a sudden, red, yellow and orange flames burst up from the ground. Scorching, hot flames lit up the darkness of the Shadow Realm and revealed a set up of stairs that led to an altar. The six boys all let out sounds of discomfort as they each shielded their eyes from the harsh brightness of the fire.

"YUGI!"

"MALIK!"

"JOUNOUCHI!"

"RYOU!"

Upon recovering from their temporary blindness, they all turned towards the direction of the voices and saw that it was Marik, Kaiba, Bakura and Yami all speaking. They watched as they four ran forward towards the steps leading up the altar and their blood ran cold.

Yugi, Ryou and Malik all gasped as they involuntarily floated closer to one another. Their vision showed a black altar with four shadowy figures standing together, all coated in darkness. What were truly surprising were the monsters standing behind the figures. The Dark Magician stood behind the smallest of the four figures however it looked strangely different. The magician no longer had that kind and gentle look on its face but rather its eyes were clouded in a hint of darkness as it held its staff in front of the figure. Yugi's heart clenched painfully at seeing such a dark look on his favorite monster.

A large, black dragon with ruby eyes stood behind the second figure. It let out a series of blasts of fire that had a mixture of colors of black and red from its mouth and Yugi paled slightly upon seeing it. It didn't take a genius to figure out that it was the Red Eyes Black Dragon, Jou's most precious monster.

The angel and demon hybrid of the Change of Heart hovered about the third figure. Both her black bony demonic wing and white and feathery angelic wing was bent protectively over the figure as it shielding it from battle and harm. Her eyes glared ahead of her.

The last figure was surrounded by a large mass of lava that towered above the rest of the monsters. It could only be the Lava Golem (5). Its large body dripped and sizzled with hot, intense lava as it held up a cage in its hand. It let out some sort of barbaric, gurgling sound as it repeatedly smashed the steel cage to the ground.

The six boys watch in awe and silence, not know at all what to say or how to respond. The figures and monsters on the altar all had a sense of an evil presence surrounding them that neither Bakura, Marik nor Yami could explain; like it could wreak chaos, havoc and destruction upon the world.

The three lights all shook in absolute fear and terror as they huddled closer together. Yugi and Ryou were clinging to Malik like a duckling did to its mother and their expressions were that of shock and fear. Malik tried to pull off a brave look but it was evident that he too was scared. He wrapped an arm around his two shaking friends in an effort to comfort them but ultimately, it didn't seem to be helping. "I-It's okay, g-guys!" He tried to say.

"It's us! And Jou! I just know it!" Yugi cried in horror, burrowing his face in Malik's collarbone before opening his eyes in fear knowing that he had to watch the rest of the vision.

"What has happened to us?" Ryou cried in the same fashion, his voice, horrified. He covered his mouth in shock with both his hands as he began to shake more violently. "We don't even look human! It's like we're being possessed or something!"

The dark spirits that had once occupied the Millennium Puzzle, Ring, and Rod all shared a look with each other before turning to their other halves. They all bit the bottom of their lips, not knowing how to comfort their frightened lights.

Confirming their worst fears, the four shadowy figures all began to become visible to the six boys. It was true; one by one, Yugi, Jou, Malik, and Ryou all became easily recognizable. They looked physically the same but one factor greatly differentiated them; their eyes. Their eyes were clouded with a darkness that reeked of evil. They didn't seem at all like themselves.

Simultaneously, they all sent out their respective monsters to attack as explosions soon followed. The loud sounds of war sounded throughout the air. The monsters fought one another harshly, attacking each other relentlessly. It almost seemed as if some of the monsters even singled out their attacks on certain others.

"WHITE LIGHTNING ATTACK!" and "FIST OF FATE!" vs "INFERNO FIRE BLAST!"

"HELICAL SHOCKWAVE!" vs "CHANGE OF HEART!"

"THUNDER FORCE!" and "LIGHTNING SHOT!" vs "DARK MAGIC ATTACK!"

"DESTRUCTIVE CONFLAGERATION(6)!" vs "LAVA AVALANCHE!(6)!"

The attacks of all the monsters collided to form a large ball of power and it exploded violently causing the six boys to all turn away, shutting their eyes so they wouldn't be blinded by the light. They then felt a pulling sensation that spiraled around them. Although they couldn't see it, a large black head appeared behind the ball of light. Its neck was long and its ears were pointed and it had a long snout with sharp teeth. Evil laughter echoed as the vision ended.

* * *

><p>With groans of discomfort, they each opened their eyes and found themselves back in the Malik and Ryou's apartment room. No one said anything, too absorbed in what they experienced to form a coherent thought.<p>

Ryou had his hands in his hair, gripping the white locks tightly as his body began shaking violently from the vision. Bakura let out a sharp intake of breath and held his aching head. Turning towards his light, the Thief King placed a reassuring hand on Ryou's arm, trying to comfort the frightened boy. Ryou's shaking decreased a bit once he felt Bakura's touch and he let out a small cry before covering his eyes in shame.

Malik was panting in shock, his chest rising and falling at a fast pace which caused Marik to groan, placing a hand on his chest. He shut his lilac eyes before opening them again. He wrapped a tan arm around Malik's disoriented self, hugging his other self to his side in an attempt to calm the smaller blonde down. Malik clung to his side in desperate need, his breathing slowing down. As Marik's heart began to settle, Malik's did too for they did share one heart.

Yugi was on his hands and knees, tears streaming down his face as Yami tried to console him. Yami pulled the crying boy to his chest once he knelt down in front of him, embracing the fear-stricken boy into his arms and whispering soft reassurances in his ear. "It's okay Yugi, it's okay." He kept repeating himself, tightening his hold on his shaking light. "The Millennium Necklace has been known to be wrong before," The Pharaoh said, referring back to Isis' vision of Kaiba losing his duel with her and the vision then being proven false.

"What if it isn't!" Yugi screamed into his chest. "And Jou and Seto! They're in this mess too!"

All three of the lights were in a state of confusion, shock and fear and all their darker halves could do were to try and comfort them. They all looked at one another with solemn eyes and with a mutual understanding, they all nodded. They then firmly decided to push away any differences between them to confront the problem that presented itself to them in a vision.

"We'll figure things out. The Pharaoh's right; the future is never set in stone. We will always be able to change it." Marik spoke up.

"Yes, Marik makes a valid point." Bakura agreed, rubbing Ryou's cheeks with his thumb to dry them of tears. "We just need to make sure we don't let this happen." Ryou let out small sniffles, his shoulders trembling.

"We need to contact Jounouchi and Kaiba. We need to tell them what we have seen." Yami concluded as he reached into his partner's pocket and pulled out the cell phone. Figuring out how to use it quickly, he dialed Jou's cell phone and waited as the ring sounded.

"Pharaoh." Bakura called, sharing a look with Marik who inclined his head slightly. "Did you think the Shadow Realm looked a little unusual? I know the Shadow Realm and what we just saw, was not the Shadow Realm."

"Yes, I agree." Marik nodded fully. "I do not recall there ever being fire in the shadows."

Yami looked at his former adversaries with grave, crimson eyes. "Marik, Bakura," He formally said, "I fear an evil far more than I have ever experience will soon be coming into play." The three Egyptians fell into a silence as they waited for Jou to pick up the phone.

* * *

><p>"Should I go with the navy blue or light blue tie today?" Kaiba asked, poking his head from behind the door to his and Jou's walk in closet. The two lovers were getting ready for a day at work however as usual; Kaiba was assured as to what he should wear. Currently, Kaiba was dressed in formal, white dress pants and wore a white collared shirt inside.<p>

The blonde who was currently buttoning up his own black collared shirt paused to look at the brunette. "Are you serious? Just pick one! God, I had no idea you were so metrosexual." He said with a huff as he finished buttoning up his shirt. He picked up a red tie and began tying it around when a large object hit him in the head. "Ow! Fuck!" Jou cried, clutching his head and closing his eyes in pain. When he opened his honey colored eyes, he saw a shoe on the floor beside him.

Annoyed, he turned towards Kaiba who was leaning against the doorframe of his closet with his arms crossed. He looked annoyed with his straight posture and hard eyes. "What are you looking at? What's wrong with you?"

"Bitch." Jou replied back, rubbing his head once again before going back to tying his tie.

"Mutt."

"Fuck you."

"I would love to but sadly we have a business meeting today." Kaiba sighed out, walking over to Jou and pressing his lips tenderly to the blonde's temple. Inside, Jou melted but on the outside, he kept up his gruff appearance. Jou glared and gave the CEO of Kaiba Corps. giving him the middle finger before turning away.

He heard Kaiba chuckle in amusement as he walked back to his closet. "Which one, pup?" He asked again.

Jou finished tying his tie as he turned in the direction of his and Kaiba's closet. "Go with the navy blue one. The darkness of the navy goes well with your eyes." He finally answered.

Once the two finished dressing, they walked towards each other and assessed one another a final time. Kaiba's blue eyes swept over Jou's form before he smiled at his love. "You're still horrible with ties." He remarked as he reached forward to redo it.

Jou blushed in embarrassment as he saw the crookedness of the tie that he tied. He watched with loving eyes as Kaiba undid the tie and gently began tying it around his neck. Several minutes passed in silence and a clean, perfect tie now hung around Jou's neck. "Thanks, Seto." Jou said, kissing Kaiba softly before pulling away.

"You're welcome, Katsuya." The CEO replied, affectionately using Jou's given name which made him smile. He wrapped his arms around the blonde's waist and pulled him closer, their noses almost touching. A small rumble was then heard and Kaiba frowned.

"My forearm is vibrating." He said.

Jou just laughed. "Kinky." He responded as he pulled out the phone in his pocket. His eyes looked at the caller ID and upon reading it, his face lit up with a big grin. "It's Yugi!" He cried excitingly, dislodging himself from Kaiba's embrace to answer his phone.

This only made Seto Kaiba glare at his lover.

"Yo! Yugi! How's it hanging, bud?" Jou smoothly said into the phone, holding it his right hand.

"_Jou! I need to talk to you! It's really important! Is there anyway to reach Seto Kaiba?" _a familiar voice cried out.

Jou blinked in confusion, motioning with his hand for Kaiba to come closer to which he curiously obeyed. "Yami? Yami is that you? What the hell?" Kaiba's eyes widened at his lover's question.

"_Yes! I have no time to explain! Please, you must come to Malik and Ryou's apartment as quickly as you can! I need to speak to Kaiba too! Is there anyway to reach him?" _Yami said in a panicked voice.

A blonde brow furrowed as he regarded Kaiba with a concerned look. "I'll handle that. Don't worry bud, we'll be there in 10 minutes!" Jou quickly hung up the phone. "That was Yami. I don't know why he's back but he wants us to go to Ryou and Malik's apartment. It sounded urgent."

"I thought he disappeared five years ago." Kaiba replied as he pulled out his own phone. Looking from the corner of his eyes, he saw Jou shrug his shoulders before turning his attention back to his own phone. "I'm cancelling the business meeting I have today." He flatly said once he heard his secretary pick up.

"_But Mr. Kaiba, its imperative that –_"

"I don't care." Kaiba told her harshly. "If F3 Enterprises really wants a partnership with KC as badly as they claim, they'll wait." He then abruptly hung up, not giving his secretary a chance to form a response.

"You need to be nicer to her." Jou remarked as he threw off his suit jacket and loosened his tie. He didn't change his clothes; he merely just made himself more comfortable in them. Kaiba followed suit, removing his suit jacket but he taking his tie off.

"A little fear is essential in a business, it keeps me on top." Kaiba wisely retorted as he picked up the keys to his car with Jou following.

"Cause we all know you hate being on top." Jou sarcastically said.

"You don't seem to complain."

"No, my brain doesn't. My ass sometimes does though."

* * *

><p>Jou knocked on the door to Ryou and Malik's apartment and paused before leaning his head on the wood. "Yami?Ryou? Malik? It's Jou! Open the door!" He shouted so that they would hear.<p>

The door then opened and they were quickly pulled inside by Yami who paused and looked at Kaiba questioningly. "Kaiba? How did you know to come here? Did Jou tell you?" He asked, looking at his old rival.

Kaiba cleared his throat. "I overheard the conversation." Kaiba started, frowning when Yami still looked confused. "We're dating." He clarified, indicating towards him and Jou who just rolled his eyes. The old Pharaoh nodded, telling them a swift congratulation before pulling them into the living room. Jou and Kaiba hastened and followed, allowing themselves to be pulled by their old friend.

Jou looked at Kaiba quickly when he saw Yami's skin color. The two shared a nod, both making note of the difference before turning their attention in front of them.

"Holy shit! It's Marik and Bakura!" Jou shouted, pointing a finger at them as Kaiba protectively stood in front of the blonde. "Yami, what are you doing! Get away from them!"

The two looked up from comforting their lights and upon seeing the blonde pointing a finger at them, rolled their eyes and returned the attentions back to their unresponsive lights. Both Jou and Kaiba frowned at the change and the brunette opened his mouth to speak but Yami shook his head. "That is for another time but long story short – They've changed."

Jou grinned goofily. "Oh cool." He looked forward again and saw both Malik and Ryou shaking uncontrollably as their darker halves held them, trying to get them to respond. He took a step to walk over to them but then he noticed Yugi sitting on the floor in front of the couch looking just as lifeless. "Yugi!" he cried, diving forward to his best friend. "Yugi! It's Jou! What's wrong with you?" The blonde asked, gathering the smaller boy in his arms and hugging him close.

Watching his lover and friend with sympathetic eyes, Kaiba then turned towards Yami who was now standing beside Marik and Bakura. "What happened to them?" he asked wisely, nodding his head in the direction of Yugi, Ryou and Malik.

"We saw a vision, Priest." Bakura answered.

"A terrible vision." Marik added.

"They've been in a state of shock ever since." Yami frowned sadly, running a hand through his light's yellow bangs. He looked at Jou fondly before crimson eyes met sapphire blue ones. "We need you and Jou to see it too. It's important that you two do."

Upon hearing this, Jou and Kaiba shared a look before nodding seriously. Yami instructed them of what to do as he placed the Millennium Necklace in Kaiba's open palm. Within a few seconds, both sapphire and honey eyes closed as Jou and Kaiba slumped over in their vision.

Nearly fifteen minutes passed before Kaiba and Jou recovered from their vision and just like Yugi, Ryou and Malik, Jou was now in a state of shock as his body started to shaking violently. Kaiba looked grave as he held the shaking boy in his arms, laying his chin on top of Jou's head. "It's alright puppy, it's okay." He soothed, "That Millennium Item is a piece of shit anyway." He comforted but Jou only let out a small whine, burrowing himself deeper into Kaiba's chest.

The president of Kaiba looked up from comforting his lover to meet the eyes of Yami, Marik, and Bakura. "What are we going to do?" he inquired softly.

Strangely, they all simultaneously pulled their other halves closer to their bodies and silence fell upon them as Kaiba, Yami, Bakura and Marik all contemplated their next plan of action. Bakura let out a small grunt. "What can we do?" He asked.

"We need to talk to sister and that fool." Marik replied.

"I'll arrange for a limo to bring them here." Kaiba said, pulling out his cell phone and dialing the number for Isis' museum. Yami remained quiet as he looked down into his other self's amethyst eyes. What he saw scared him; Yugi's eyes no longer had that pure glow to them. They looked cloudy and misty.

/Yugi…/ Yami called.

/…/

/_Stupid Vessel…Snap out of it, Ryou_/ Bakura quietly pleaded in his mind.

_/…/_

/**Malik, wake up! You're being selfish!**/ Marik tried, looking down at his other self.

/**...**/

"Jounouchi, wake up! This is getting ridiculous!" Kaiba shouted.

"…"

The four boys looked at one another again as an uncomfortable feeling began rising from of the pit of their stomachs. All in unison, Marik, Kaiba, Bakura and Yami closed their eyes, all praying that things would be okay.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: I'm writing these chapters too damn fast. I have a huge history project to do too hahaha. No worries, I'll get it done quickly and effectively. I'm good at this procrastination thing. And do you guys remember that scene from last chapter? Where Marik pounced on Bakura? Sorry, a really yummy image just came into mind. I love me some Psychoshipping… With this new addition of plot, do you guys think I should change my summary? I feel like the summary I have now is too sugary and it really doesn't show what my plot will develop into (since I'm making this up as I go). And please, read and review! It makes me want to procrastinate more and update the story hahaha<p>

And on two side notes, I can't really decide which characters I should have this story in since they're all main pairings. I just put it into Yami/Yugi except I'm not sure if I should change that. The other note is which would you guys rather have? Longer chapters but a somewhat slower update time or shorter chapters with a faster update time?

Longer chapters = 8k+ words  
>Shorter chapters = 3-6k+ words<p>

(1) Sorry if that seemed uncharacteristic of him to say, that was my version of YGOTAS Yami Yugi talking. I couldn't help it, LK's Yami Yugi is just too funny!  
>(2) Yay for unnecessary acronyms! DU = Domino University<br>(3) "I'm Seto Kaiba. I have a dragon fetish and I sound like Brock from Pokémon. Screw the rules, I love Nurse Joy!" –LK and I'm sorry. I've been watching YGOTAS too much lately…  
>(4) In one of the Waking the Dragons episodes, Yugi and Yami hold each other's hand before they awaken Tamius :D It might have been episode 405 or something around there.<br>(5) I almost made Revial Jam Malik's guardian monster; HAHAHAHA that would've been not only hilarious but extremely awkward. I tried to find Malik a cool guardian monster that was really important to him. Though I realize that he loves Ra but since Marik is using him, it wouldn't be right for Malik to also use him. So…Malik uses Revival Jam a lot right? He had it in his duel with Yugi when he controlled Strings and Marik kept it in his deck when he dueled someone else sooooo yay for Revival Jam? I know, revival jam is not cool at all :( YAY FOR GOOGLING AND YUGIOH WIKI. Thank god for Lava Golem.  
>(6) I really don't know the names of Ra or Lava Golem's attack so I made them up….yay for so many footnotes!<p>

Final Words: 7k  
>Final Characters: 31k<br>Pages: 12


	4. Reassurance

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! or its characters

Chapter: 4 "**Reassurance****"**

Author's Note: Thanks again to all who reviewed! I now have over 460 hits and 230 visitors to this story (If only some of those people reviewed…I'm sulking slightly). Thank you to **TimeandRhythmDoesIndeedSleep**, **Fire-blossom19**, **Kaaki-Shaman**, **Angeldrkfire**, **PhantomBrat**, **RyouandBakuraforever**for taking the time to review my third chapter! I was in a rush to update so I made a lot of errors again and so I'm sorry :( I just wanted a distraction from my history project. Allow me to clear something up though: There will be no Pyschoshipping in this fiction. I'm sorry if I confused anyone! I just mentioned them last chapter in my A/N because seeing Marik pounce on Bakura in my head is extremely sexy hahaha, like the image is really sexy in my head. And I also heard a lot of you guys really liked the vision part :) That's good for me because I worked really hard on that part! So thank you again for your kind words :) There's no need to post the ages and mind link thing anymore right? Yeah, I thought so too. I have a total of 21 reviews so far! What's ironic is that like six years ago when I first started posting fanfiction when I was twelve, I got on average 20+ reviews just on the first chapter. Actually maybe now I just fail….

**Fire-Blossom19**: SHIT'S 'BOUT TO GO DOWN hahaha  
><strong>Kaaki-Shaman<strong>: Don't cry! :( This chapter will cheer you up, no worries! And is it Zorc, I wonder? Hmm…maybe, maybe not :) We shall see! And P.S your hugs made me smile hahaha  
><strong>Angeldrkfire<strong>: It's a nice change to see the lights being evil for once :)  
><strong>RyouandBakuraforever<strong>: Not going to lie but I look forward to your reviews hahaha. And I adore you even more, can we be friends? Hahaha :) I changed the summary a bit after I read your review so now it better reflects the plot so thank you for your thoughts! And I do hope biology studying goes well when you do it :)

My history project is now finished so I worked hard to get this chapter out for all my loves (10/14), and just a side note, is anyone else liking the alliteration in my chapter titles? OH SNAP IN THE NILE. Hopefully I can keep up the alliteration, it makes my story seem cooler than it is.

* * *

><p>"What do you mean she's busy?" Kaiba shouted as the grip on his phone tightened. He was getting extremely agitated as he could not reach Isis over at the Domino Museum and the only person he could reach was one of her irritating staff members.<p>

"_I__'__m __sorry __Mr.__Kaiba __but __Ms.__Ishtar __is __unavailable __at __the __moment_."

"I don't care!" He screamed harshly. "I need to speak with her right this instant! This is an emergency!" Kaiba was gripping the phone so hard that his knuckles began to whiten. He looked towards Marik, Bakura, and Yami who were all watching him with stern eyes.

"_Mr.__Kaiba, __Ms.__Ishtar __is __extremely __busy __preparing __for __the __new __exhibit __we __have __opening __in __a __few __weeks. __Perhaps __you __could __call __at __another__ –" _

"This is getting ridiculous! I am Seto Kaiba! I could have the museum shut down if I wanted!" He cut her off and she quieted down. "Oh you wouldn't want that would you? That wouldn't be good at all, think of all the people that would be out of jobs." Kaiba reasoned in a taunting manner. It was common to see Kaiba bring out his cold demeanor during business transactions for he knew that in the corporate world, intimidation was very important. He let a sadistic smirk cross his face and raised an amused brow. "Well? You wouldn't want to have that on your conscience, would you?"

She began to falter slightly, her voice hesitant, "_W-We __can__'__t __have __that, __sir! __That __would __be __terrible! __But __please __sir, __try __to __understand, __Ms.__Ishtar __is __extremely __busy...__" _

The blue eyed man opened his mouth to retort when he suddenly heard a female voice in the background and heard the distinct sound of the phone being pulled away. He waited in slight annoyance until he heard someone pick up the phone.

"_Mr.__Kaiba,__" _Isis began in a formal, professional tone. "_I __would __greatly __appreciate __it __if __you __did __not __threaten __the __members __of __my__staff.__" _Although her voice was sophisticatedly professional, her tone was aggressive. "_Now __what __is __this__ '__emergency__' __you __speak __of __that __compelled __you __to __bully __a __member __of __my __staff?__" _She inquired.

"I need you and Rishid to report to Malik's apartment right away! There is something you must know; I viewed the contents of Millennium Necklace to gain insight into the future and I'm afraid it doesn't look bright. It is imperative that you come to Malik's apartment now!" Kaiba told her earnestly, his fingers threaded themselves through Jou's blonde hair involuntarily. He watched with concerned eyes as Jou turned to look at him and the CEO mentally choked at seeing the glazed look in his lover's amber eyes. They looked misty, unfocused and greatly disheartened.

"_Certainly __it __can_ _wait_ –"Isis began to reason when she was suddenly cut off.

Marik had snatched Kaiba's cell phone from his hands and brought it close to his ear and lips. "Sister!" he called gravely. The Egyptian knew that if Isis heard his voice, she would come immediately. The woman would probably assume that his presence would mean ultimate and impending doom – how amusing!

There was a pause on the phone when she stopped speaking; the only sound audible was the sound of her gasps before she recovered furiously. "_You __are __Marik!_" she cried angrily. "_What __have __you __done __to __Malik, __you __monster! __Answer __me! __What __have __you __done?_"

Had the situation been different and not so dire, Marik would have loved to torment the woman but he knew in his changed heart that he shouldn't cause any unnecessary problems. "Sister," he said again, "It is not I who has harmed Malik. It is as Kaiba says, we have glimpsed into the future and it does not look promising. You must bring Rishid and come at once." With an afterthought and blink he added an uncharacteristic "Please" and waited for her response.

Over on her side of the phone, Isis' sapphire blue eyes tensed as she bit her lower lip. She ultimately knew not to trust the hated side of Malik however even she could not deny the sincerity in his voice. Weighing the pro and cons in her head, she concluded that although it could be a trap for her and Rishid, the possibility of her brother being in danger greatly influenced her decision. Kaiba seemed to also be there so perhaps it would be alright.

After a few minutes, Marik grew impatient as a low growl sounded from his throat. "Sister, make haste! What say you, will you come or not?" Lilac eyes lowered quickly to look at his silent other self and they grew hard at seeing the lifelessness in Malik's identical eyes.

"_Very __well, __Rishid __and __I __will __be __there __within __half __an __hour._" Isis said, clearing her throat slightly before speaking again. "_I __trust __that __you __will __do __no __harm __to __us._"

Marik nodded against the phone. "Yes, you have my word." He said sincerely and with that, the line disconnected. He turned to look at the phone in his hand before calmly handing it back to Kaiba's outstretched hand. "She says she will come within the mid hour." He told, eyes connecting with Kaiba, Yami and Bakura's.

"For now, as we wait, we should try and console them." Yami wisely said, indicating with his eyes at Yugi, Jou, Malik and Ryou who all looked depressed and lifeless. They all shared the look of despair and sadness that only came from the witnessing of the vision.

Together, they nodded, respectively turning towards the boys in their arms.

Kaiba leaned his face down and peered into Jou's eyes. He frowned once he saw them. Letting out a sad sigh, he stroked his thumb against the blonde's cheek to get his attention. Although still not all there, Jou reacted to his touch and let out a small whine. Leaning down even more till their noses touched, Kaiba nuzzled his lover affectionately. "Jou, wake up." He called, threading his fingers through Jou's.

The blonde looked up at his lover sadly. "Seto?"

"Why so sad, pup?" Kaiba asked, pressing his lips to different parts of Jou's face as he kissed the skin lovingly. His lips travelled everywhere; Jou's temple to his forehead, the tip of his nose and the corner of his lips before directly hovering over Jou's mouth.

"You saw it," Jou began brokenly, eyes watering slightly. "I looked like a monster… And my Red Eyes! My poor Red Eyes!" he cried softly. Tears began welling up in Jou's eyes and this caused Seto to wipe away the tears with his fingers. He only sobbed harder when he felt Kaiba press his mouth against his.

Kaiba kissed him passionately, pouring his heart and soul into the kiss. He needed to reassure his lover and the only way that he knew how was to kiss him with everything he had. His lips pressed lovingly against Jou's as he pulled the blonde in his lap closer to his chest. At that moment, it was like only people that existed right now were him and Jou; he barely even registered that Yami, Marik, and Bakura were watching them intently.

It seemed to be working as color warmed Jou's face and the blonde reacted by bringing his arms to loosely wrap themselves around Kaiba's neck. His fingers grasped at the fabric of the brunette's white collared shirt in desperate need to which Kaiba responded in kind. A small whimper escaped Jounouchi's lips once he felt Kaiba pull away.

Kaiba smiled softly and kissed his lover's forehead before leaning down till their foreheads resting on one another. Looking down into the eyes of his lover, Kaiba's heart swelled at seeing the warmth evident in those honey eyes. "Katsuya." He whispered tenderly.

And then, Jounouchi smiled a genuine smile. It worked! Kaiba had gotten through to Jou! He let out a laugh and tackled the brunette, knocking them both over so that now Jounouchi hovered over Kaiba. The CEO couldn't help but join in the laughter as he wrapped his arms around his lover tighter, loving the feeling of Jou snuggling up to his chest. It seemed that all it took to get through to Jou was Kaiba's affection; it broke through the darkness and despair that had clouded Jou's heart upon seeing the vision. "Sorry, Seto; I let that piece of shit vision get to my head." Jou goofily grinned.

Jou was back to his happy self again and that was more than enough to warm Kaiba's heart.

The three Egyptians turned away from the couple to look at each other. They sat there and stared for a few minutes before nodding their heads in agreement. Perhaps if they showed some sort of affection or just some more stimuli to Yugi, Malik, and Ryou then maybe they would awake from their stupor.

* * *

><p>Not one to show emotion in front of others, Marik wordlessly grabbed Malik's elbow and pulled him up to a standing position. He watched as Malik effortlessly stood up and stood there motionlessly, eyes casted downwards. Letting out a small hum, Marik led his other self to his room by the arm with Malik following silently. Bakura and Yami watched as the once spirit of the Millennium Rod closed the door behind him once him and Malik reached the bedroom.<p>

Malik fumbled slightly as he clumsily sat down on the side of his bed, his back was bent and his head was too with his elbows resting on his thighs. His eyes were blackened by the shadows of his bangs. He looked so lost and confused that it was beginning to make Marik feel the same but Marik's will was great – he knew that he couldn't let Malik's intense emotions of pain take over him. He needed to be the stronger of the two. Marik stood in front of his other self, his arms crossed and eyes centered on him. "My weaker self," He called but to which he received no reply.

No response.

His hated form twitched somewhat annoyingly, a vein appearing on the lower half of his face before he sighed. He knew not to get angry because that would only mean that he was the same as before; he didn't want to be known as just a being that hated or caused pain. Marik wanted to learn how to live a life without hate and so he opted for another approach. "Malik." He tried again.

This evoked a small reaction in the boy for Malik let out a small sob, his shoulders trembling slightly. He wrapped his tan arms around himself, refusing to look up at Marik. "Go away." He ordered, eyes shutting in shame. "Don't get near me, don't come any closer!"

Marik hadn't replied, he simply floated over to sit behind Malik. His chest pressed against Malik's back as he towered over the smaller boy, his chin hovering above Malik's head. When the college student made a move to get away, Marik calmly grabbed his wrists from behind and steadied him. The hated form held Malik's shaking wrists until the boy calmed down and simply lowered them in submission. "What is troubling you?" Marik asked.

"I looked like a fiend in that vision."

"Ah, but you are no fiend." Marik soothed uncharacteristically. "Had there been a fiend, I am quite sure it would be me." At his darkness' haunting response, Malik made a move to turn his head but the soft thumbs stroking his wrists told him no. Marik then grabbed the hem of Malik's sleeveless blue shirt after taking of his vest.

"W-What are you doing?" Malik cried out in confusion, trying to break away again but only to be stopped by Marik.

Again, Marik hadn't replied. He lifted the shirt up off over Malik's head and his lilac eyes stared hard at the Egyptian scriptures on the boy's back. Malik struggled uncomfortably and Marik hummed, "Stop moving. Relax, I won't do anything." He said in kind and Malik believed that. Marik's eyes wandered all over the tanned back – from the beginning scriptures to the end ones. "Does it still hurt?" he asked somewhat timidly.

"No, not all the time." Malik replied easily. It was true; Malik hated his father for carving the words into his back during his initiation as a Tomb Keeper however once Malik learned to hate less – it didn't seem as painful anymore. And after the events with Marik and Battle City, Malik had learned to accept his fate as a Tomb Keeper.

"Mine still do." Marik replied truthfully. It was understandable, for Marik, he was the embodiment of Malik's hatred and so he would always feel the pain and burns. "Mine always do."

Malik turned to look at his darkness with sympathetic eyes before a fire raged within them. "Why are you doing this, Marik? I thought you hated me! Aren't you supposed to feel my intense emotions – hate me like I hate you! Why can't you just hate me too?" He looked away. "You should stay away from me! You saw the vision; I looked like something out of the Shadow Realm!"

/**I ****hate ****you ****so ****much! ****Why ****don****'****t ****you ****feel ****the ****same?/**Malik thought angrily.

/**Perhaps ****it ****is ****because ****you ****do ****not ****hate ****me ****as ****much ****as ****you ****say**/

Marik's eyes tensed and Malik shut his eyes. Knowing he wouldn't get any further words from his other self, Malik let out a small sigh and angled his head to look at his darkness. "I'm sorry." He said softly, referring back to the pain Marik felt in his back.

A low chuckle emitted from Marik's throat. "It is as it should be." He replied simply. What he then did shocked Malik's very core. The spiky haired blonde leaned down and touched his lips to Malik's shoulder before traveling across his bare shoulder blades. His lips were soft as they parted slightly and puckered before gliding gracefully across the tanned skin as he kissed it. Marik let out a growl as he paused at the center of Malik's back where the Tomb Keeper's Initiation scripted out Malik's destiny. "Fuck our father for doing this to you. This wasn't the life meant for you."

Malik let out a small whimper of distress once he felt Marik's lips leave his skin. It terrified him how he found comfort in his darkness' touch. "I was born into a Tomb Keeper's clan and it was my destiny to guard the tomb of the Pharaoh. And I fulfilled it." He said somewhat diplomatically.

"Yes, but don't you know you were destined for so much more?" And with that Marik kissed lower, his lips resuming its journey across Malik's skin. At that moment, Marik was learning. He was learning compassion and understanding in regards to his weaker self's suffering. He was learning how to comfort. Marik didn't know it but he was also learning how to love and care for another. All in all, the change in Marik's heart and mind was concrete; he was a changed man now. "Share with me your pain and allow me to burden it so I may grow stronger for you; for us."

A gasp escaped from Malik's parted lips as tears trailed down his cheeks freely. He had never seen this side of his darkness before and it was shocking. He had only ever known of the twisted and sadistic side of Marik that took over his body and tormented his friends – So how was Marik comforting him right now? Who was this Marik? Whoever it was, Malik now realized that he wouldn't mind finding out. "You've changed." Malik said, a small smile tugging on the corner of his lips as his spirits were lifted.

He felt Marik smile against his skin as he continually kissed the scarred back. "Ah, so you finally believe it? Learning isn't so bad, is it?" He then wrapped his arms around Malik's waist from behind, pulling the other boy to his chest in a comforting embrace. "Allow me to learn from you and I will allow you to learn from me. Teach me happiness and I will in return, teach you strength." His words were sincere and a small smile appeared on Marik's face. "I am not my own, for I have been made new (1)."

It was clear to Malik now that he and Marik were really two parts of one heart. Everything Malik was not, Marik was and everything Marik wasn't, Malik was. Smiling happily, Malik casually leaned back against his darkness, looking up as Marik looked down. Identical lilac eyes locked. It was also clear that the two of them needed to learn to understand one another as one whole being. "Please don't let me go; I desperately need you (1)." Malik let out a contented sigh, enjoying the comforts of his darkness' embrace, "It'll take time but I know we'll begin to understand one another. Friends?" He grinned weakly.

Marik let out a genuine laugh devoid of any malice, "Agreed."

* * *

><p>A silence befell Yami and Bakura as the shared a look. Bakura cleared his throat and nodded in his direction, "If you'll excuse us, Pharaoh, we'll be taking our leave." The thief formally said to which the King nodded back.<p>

"Good luck, my friend." He encouraged before turning back the light in his arms.

The gray haired boy didn't respond to be called Yami's "friend" but he made no comment. Turning towards Ryou, he picked up the boy easily in his arms with one arm under his back and the other under his legs. He carried the artist in a bridal style fashion, walking briskly to Ryou's room. The Thief King's eyes watched with sympathetic eyes as Ryou let out a small sob, raising a pale hand to clutch at Bakura's robe. The door had been left open and once they were inside, Bakura closed the door shut with his foot by kicking it.

"Can you stand for me?" Bakura asked, leaning down to look into Ryou's eyes. The chocolate brown eyes that had always been so childlike and full of life were now dull and lifeless. They looked gray and not at all like Ryou's usual eyes. "Ryou, stand for me." Bakura said again, lowering the boy to the ground.

The painter nodded numbly and slowly got out of his darkness' arms. Missing a step, he stumbled slightly and almost fell had it not been for Bakura's steadying his frame. Bakura had grabbed Ryou's forearms so he wouldn't fall.

"Don't let that vision fool you," the taller man said, "Nothing will happen."

The white haired boy didn't look convinced as tears began streaming down his face. "It hurts." Ryou pitifully cried, wrapping his arms around his shaking torso as more and more tears trickled down his cheeks. Chocolate eyes shut painfully as he began to shake violently, his hands tightening to fists around his side as he clutched the fabric of his shirt.

And Bakura simply watched with hard eyes as his light broke down in front of him.

"It hurts so badly!" Ryou said hysterically, dropping to the ground on his knees, covering his face in shame. "What did I do to deserve a future like that? I didn't even look human! What if I hurt someone? What if I killed someone? There was so much darkness and hatred! I almost looked –"

"Like me?" Bakura filled in, looking downwards at Ryou. He wasn't angry; he was more concerned about his hysterical light that was currently breaking down in tears. Bakura's hands were soft and warm against Ryou's skin as the once spirit of the Millennium Ring leaned down to touch his lips to the top of Ryou's head. His lips brushed against the soft white locks of his artist and the Thief King closed his eyes. "Tell me what hurts." He ordered.

Ryou pulled away slightly and looked up into light blue eyes while his shined with glossy tears. He reached up with both hands to cup at Bakura's cheek and Bakura mentally flinched at the coldness emitting from Ryou's hand on his scar. It was unnatural and unlike what Bakura had previously felt when Ryou touched his scar. Usually when Ryou would touch his scar, it brought immense comfort and warmth to the marred skin but right now, it only brought him coldness and pain.

The Diabound user shot his face backwards away from Ryou's touch as he looked down at his light, only pulling away so now that we were within arms length as oppose to the close proximity they were before.

Seeing his darkness pull away like that, Ryou only sobbed harder and tried to break away from Bakura's hold but the Thief hadn't let go. "I knew it, you're disgusted by me! You want to get away from me, don't you?"

"Tell me what hurts, Ryou." Bakura demanded again, his voice stronger than the last time he asked.

Ryou clutched his torso again, shaking his head. "You don't care, you don't care at all. You never cared! You never cared about me! All I have ever been to you was a damn vessel!" Ryou screamed, uncharacteristically. It almost seemed like something evil had entered his heart for Ryou was never this aggressive. "Just go away, please. Things were so much better when you were gone." Ryou sobbed.

Bakura's eyes hardened for he knew that this wasn't Ryou; Ryou would never act like this no matter how much torment Bakura had put him through all those years ago. Letting out a small grunt, Bakura leaned his face close and began licking away the falling tears with his tongue. He licked away the droplets of water while he watched with slightly amused eyes as Ryou froze in surprise. The Thief King's pink tongue darted about it, licking away the tears.

"W-what are you doing? S-stop that!"

Bakura fell silent as he lowered himself to the ground so now his knees rested on the ground and his head was leveled with Ryou's chest. He remembered seeing Ryou clutch at his torso and he knew what was hurting his light. Wordlessly, he lifted up Ryou's shirt despite his light's protests and looked at the five puncture wounds on Ryou's chest.

Ryou's creamy, pale chest had five holes in them from when Bakura had stabbed him with the Millennium Ring's ringlets many years ago. "Is this what hurts?" he asked, eyes raking over the wounds. Feeling the younger boy tense in front of him, Bakura closed his eyes in apology. "I'm sorry I did this to you."

Ryou looked away. "It's alright, it happened many years ago."

A few minutes passed in silence before Bakura swiftly opened his eyes and at that moment, he knew what he needed to do. His face moved to the left most puncture wound and then Bakura kissed the torn skin. His lips met the emptiness of the wound in a tender fashion as tan hands moved to hold Ryou's hips so that they boy would not move.

"Bakura! What are you doing!" Ryou screeched in embarrassment as his face flared up like a volcano. "Stop it! Stop it, please!" He tried to push Bakura away by his shoulders but the Thief King had a secured hold on his hips. Seeing how Bakura wouldn't budge, Ryou let out a defeated whimper and simply watched his darkness.

What then happened astounded him; when Bakura moved away from the skin he had kissed, Ryou was shocked to see that the punctured hole had closed up, cleanly. The skin that had once held a blackened hole was now filled with soft, pale skin. It was a remarkable sight to see, it was as if Bakura was healing him. The gray haired man's lips then traveled to the next wound and he too kissed the mark. Without a word, Bakura repeated this process; kissing every punctured part of Ryou's skin as he continued from the second mark, to the third, fourth and finally the fifth and all Ryou could do was watch in amazement as one by one, the punctured wounds had all disappeared. "How are you doing that?" Ryou asked breathlessly.

Bakura only shrugged, not wanting to answer.

"I hope this helps; I don't want you to feel any more pain." Bakura said as he stood up to his feet, his figure towering over Ryou. The white haired boy gasped upon realizing that when Bakura was kissing his skin, the pain subsided and all Ryou felt at the time (besides extreme embarrassment) was warmth and virtually no pain.

"Yes, thank you." Ryou softly replied with a blush. "But you didn't have to do that…"

A pained growl then emitting from Bakura's throat as the Thief King let out a harsh Egyptian curse. His tan hands clenched into fists as his body shook slightly. Bakura's face contorted in agony as more and more curses left his lips. Ryou looked alarmed as he hurried to grab Bakura's forearms to steady him.

"Bakura? Bakura, what's wrong?"

"Fuck!" he swore loudly, throwing his head back in pain as he shut his eyes tightly. His chest was throbbing painfully but he wasn't surprised for he knew that he had brought this on himself. He didn't want to show weakness in front of his light but the pain was so unbearable that he couldn't help but growl and curse because of the painful feeling in his chest. Bakura's breathing was coming out in quick pants as his eyes snapped back open.

"What's wrong? Bakura let me help –"Ryou cried out hysterically, disliking the sight of his other self in pain. He then let out a yelp of surprise as he covered his mouth with his hands. He watched in horror as a punctured wound appeared on the left side of Bakura's chest, right above his abs. The hole blackened as the tanned skin was stabbed, blood trickling down the skin.

"You're bleeding! Let me find some gauze!" Ryou told him as he made a move to leave Bakura's side but a tan hand shot out to hold Ryou's wrist. "Bakura, you're bleeding! I need to get something to help stop it!"

"Stop - Just, just stay here with me." Bakura replied back whilst gritting his teeth. The pain was so harsh on his skin but Bakura knew not to complain for he knew that this was the exact pain that Ryou had felt when he impaled his light with the ringlets of the Millennium Ring. "Just stay, please." He added weakly once he locked gazes with Ryou.

It pained him to see his darkness in such pain but Ryou nodded in understanding. Bakura had asked him to stay and so Ryou knew that he should for he did not want to leave the Thief King when he was in pain like this. The painter simply watched, albeit still horrorstruck, as four more punctured holes appeared on the King's skin followed by more trails of blood. Ryou's heart clenched painfully at seeing his strong darkness in such a weakened state. "I have caused you pain for so many years and this was the only way I could repent."

"You idiot…" Ryou affectionately called him as he rushed forward to wrap his arms around his other self's waist, not even caring that Bakura's blood soaked into his shirt. "You're such an idiot; you didn't have to do that. I forgave you when you reappeared or did you forget?" Arms tightened around Bakura's waist as he spoke.

"This was the only way I knew how," Bakura replied with a scoff, "My blood for your blood." And with that, Bakura circled his arms around the boy's shoulders and hugged him close. "If anything, you're the idiot."

Ryou let out a happy laugh, closing his eyes as he did so before breaking away. "Now let's get you cleaned up, we wouldn't want you to die again from something as small as blood loss now would we?"

Bakura rolled his eyes. "You need to shower too or at least change." He pointed out, referring to the red lines on Ryou's shirt. He then crossed his arms with a huff, "Besides, I can't die; if I did, who is going to protect you from the Pharaoh and his mini-me?"

"His name is Yugi and I will accept your attempt at making me feel better." Ryou said with a roll of his own eyes. The two seemed to have forged a friendship in the two days that they had been reunited and Ryou could honestly admit that he was happy about Bakura's return. Although the spirit had tormented him throughout his childhood, the man who now stood before him was a changed man with a changed heart. Ryou enjoyed Bakura's company.

Ryou didn't know it but Bakura enjoyed his light's company as well.

* * *

><p>The only one left that needed comforting was Yugi and Yami was determined to bring the life back into his partner's heart. Paying no mind to Kaiba and Jou, Yami gathered the fallen boy into his arms in a tender embrace. His chin rested on the tri-colored mass of Yugi's hair as the boy cried in his arms. "My partner, whatever is the matter? It was only a vision and we both know that we can change the future." Yami comforted.<p>

Yugi dug his face deeper in to the cloth that covered Yami's chest as his eyes dampened the fabric. His hands clutched at Yami's shirt as he desperately held on to the Pharaoh. Yugi was in a state of severe sadness as he cried harder and harder with every second. "What happened to me in there?" Yugi whispered brokenly.

Yami let out a low hum and made an attempt to lift Yugi's chin but the boy refused to move. Tan fingers closed over Yugi's chin and he gently tried again. Seeing that Yugi wouldn't move, Yami leaned down close so his lips nearly brushed Yugi's ear. "Do not be sad, little one. I know you and I know your heart, you will never fall to the darkness like that." He comforted.

Yugi's sniffles were heard as tears wouldn't stop falling down his face. His eyes shut in shame, "How do you know?"

"Your heart is pure." Yami replied simply. "There is so much joy and love in your heart that I'm quite sure no amount of darkness could ever penetrate it." To further convince the boy, Yami hugged him tighter. His fingers caressed the chin of the King of Games, "Look at me, Yugi. I want to see your eyes."

Amethyst eyes slowly and it pained Yami to see that they still held must sadness and despair in them which signified that the boy was still not convinced. They shook as they tried to search for an answer in Yami's crimson ones. The Pharaoh began to panic, his mind desperately searching through ideas of way to comfort his light. A realization then hit him – Kaiba and Jou! Cupping the boy's face in his hands, Yami leaned his face in close till their noses brushed against each other's.

"Yami, what are you –"Yugi's words when then cut off as he felt Yami crash his lips onto his. Yami's lips were soft as they earnestly puckered against his. Crimson eyes shut as Yami poured his entire being to that kiss so that he could help Yugi break through the darkness. Tan arms encircled around Yugi's waist tighter and pulled the boy closer.

To say that Yugi was shocked was an understatement but the comforting feeling of Yami's lips made him forget about everything else in the world till all he could do was sit there and feel. A few seconds passed and light began returning to Yugi's eyes. Throwing his arms around the Pharaoh's neck, Yugi pressed back against him and kiss him back with just as much passion. The kiss was more of a reassurance than one out of romantic love as Yami knew that affection was the only way to bring Yugi out of his stupor just as Kaiba had done to Jounouchi.

The longer and longer they kissed, Yami was confused as to how much he particularly enjoyed kissing his light. When he felt Yugi part his lips slightly in invitation, Yami wasted no time and delved his tongue into the wet caverns of Yugi's mouth. The boy let out a small groan as his tongue caressed Yami's.

Out of the lights and darknesses, Yami and Yugi were the only ones who could physically touch one another like this and it wouldn't be seen as awkward to them. They held hands twice; once when they awoke Timaeus and then once again when they viewed the vision. Physical touch between them was natural and so this kiss didn't make each other feel weird at all. It was a kiss out of necessity and reassurance – not one of romantic love. It simply needed to be done.

Yugi pulled away breathlessly, needing to fill his lungs back with air. His cheeks were flushed and he panted slightly as he looked at Yami with wide eyes. He too looked slightly flushed but a smile was on his lips. "And that Yugi, is why I know you will not fall victim to the darkness. When I kissed you, I felt all the happiness and love in your heart so please do not let this vision cloud your pure, beautiful heart."

The boy without yellow spikes in his tri-colored hair smiled back. "Thank you, Yami. You really are my most precious friend." He told him, hugging his darkness once again as he nuzzled his cheek against Yami's.

The Pharaoh laughed and nuzzled back before moving to kiss Yugi gently on the forehead. "Do not fret, little one, for I will always be here to protect you. I promise."

"It's a promise." Yugi agreed.

"Woooo!" a voice whistled, causing Yami and Yugi to look behind them at Kaiba and Jou. The blonde was sitting in Kaiba's lap with a grin on his face while Kaiba just looked amused. "Not going to lie but that was pretty hot." Jou teased, reaching over to ruffle Yugi's hair who then in turn blushed and burrowed his face in the crook of Yami's neck.

"Yami," Kaiba then called. "Isis should be here any second. Perhaps it would be wise to get the other four."

The tanned boy nodded in agreement and made a move to stand but he truly didn't want to. He loved the feeling of Yugi in his arms; it brought him a sense of comfort. If it was up to him, he wouldn't get up at all. Thankfully, he didn't need to because at that moment, Marik, Malik, Bakura and Ryou all emerged from their rooms.

They all bore equal expressions of happiness – or rather Ryou and Malik were beaming and Marik and Bakura simply looked content. They gathered together with the other four boys so that they all sat together in the center of the living room.

"Nice." Marik commented once he saw Bakura's puncture wounds.

"Thanks; I call them my battle scars." Bakura replied back proudly as he caught Ryou's eye and winked. Ryou only giggled softly, covering his face to muffle his laughs.

"We all good?" Kaiba asked out, indicating to all of the lights and Jou. They all replied with a swift nod and Kaiba crossed his arms when Jou leaned forward in his lap. "Isis should be here soon."

As if timing couldn't be any better for them, a knock was heard from the door. Malik gleefully jumped to his feet and ran to the door. The other seven watched amusingly as Malik threw open the door with a big smile on his face. Isis and Rishid stood side by side outside the door with smiles of their own. "Sister! Rishid!" he cried happily. The blonde took them both by the hand and led them insides. "Come inside, please! It is so great to see you both!"

"Yes Malik, we have missed you so." Isis warmly replied back, seeing Rishid smile from the corner of her sparkling blue eyes. The three exchanged small talk as Malik led them to the living room. Rishid and Isis stopped dead in their tracks as they saw all who had gathered in the living room while Malik came to sit beside his darkness. The blonde casually leaned against Marik's side while the darkness had his arms crossed and his expression, solemn and waiting.

Upon seeing Yami, Isis and Rishid rushed forward and bowed their heads. "My King, it is good to see you again!" Isis formally told him, closing her eyes and then reopening them when she looked up while Rishid mirrored her and did the same. "You have come back to us."

"Welcome, my Pharaoh." Rishid greeted once he looked back up.

Yami curtly nodded, "Yes, thank you."

Rishid then turned his head towards Marik and he glared angrily. "You." He acknowledge with a scowl. His yellow eyes were hard as they regarded Malik's other form with hatred-filled eyes and clenched his fists. "How dare you show your face to me and Malik?"

Marik simply stared back wordlessly.

Malik looked from his brother to his other self before biting his lip worryingly. "Brother please, he is a changed man. Don't worry about me, I am fine!" he told Rishid, eyes looking towards Rishid so the other man could see the understanding in Malik's lilac eyes. "You'll behave, won't you?" Malik asked his other self once.

"Yes." Marik replied back.

Not completely satisfied, Rishid let out a grunt and scoffed before turning away. "If it is what you wish Malik, than I will too." He then turned back to glare at Marik, "I will be watching you; do not think for one second that I believe this façade of yours."

Marik let out a dark chuckle as he smirked back, welcoming Rishid's challenge. "To each their own."

"I think it'd be wise to focus on what we called you here for." Ryou wisely spoke up.

The two newly arrived Egyptian nodded and they sat back and listened intently as Yami filled them in on what had happened. He told them of his mysterious reappearance and they listened silently. Bakura and Marik also had recounted the events of their return to them. Yugi also mentioned the vision that the first six had seen with the Millennium Ring and Kaiba then cut in and told them of how the vision affected him and Jou as well.

Yami continued and told them exactly what happened in the vision and how after it, Yugi, Malik, Ryou and Jou all fell into a state of depression and despair.

Isis looked thoughtfully as she listened. "How very interesting, perhaps there was a prophecy we have overlooked. And you are sure that what you saw was the Shadow Realm?"

"Yes." Marik and Bakura replied in unison as they shared a look. They had both known the Shadow Realm well enough, having been and sent people there countless times before.

"Perhaps we can investigate the Shadow Realm." Rishid reasoned.

Bakura shook his head. "Not everyone can venture into the dark abyss of the Shadow Realm. And those who are not strong enough will fall victim to the darkness and their minds will forever be trapped within the shadows should they succumb to the darkness."

"I'm sure we can handle it." Malik offered.

"No," Marik shook his head firmly, "The Shadow Realm is not a place for the faint of heart. For those that underestimate the true horrors of the Shadow Realm, a faint befalls them in which they are consumed by the darkness if they are not careful." He turned to his light who sat beside him, "I'm sorry Malik, but I cannot allow you to venture into the Shadow Realm; it is too dangerous." Malik opened his mouth to retort but then -

/**I ****can****'****t ****protect ****you ****in ****there****…**/ Marik told him miserably and Malik's eyes softened at Marik's words before nodding in understanding.

"I cannot allow Yugi in there either." Yami agreed.

"Nor Ryou. Or even Kaiba and Jou for that matter." Bakura added.

"Then what do you propose we do?" Kaiba asked, somewhat impatiently.

Bakura and Marik locked gazes. "The Thief King and I will investigate what has befallen the Shadow Realm; we do after all know it best." Marik diplomatically said and Bakura nodded in agreement.

"Yes and I can still open a portal to the shadows." Bakura mentioned.

Yami cleared his throat to get the attention of his fellow Egyptian darknesses. "Allow me to accompany you two." He offered. "I can be of great help."

Marik should his head. "It would be better for you to stay here, Pharaoh. When Bakura and I are away in the Shadows, they," he said, indicating towards Jou and the lights "Will be vulnerable to attack. You and Kaiba should stay to protect them."

The Pharaoh nodded in agreement and understanding. "Very well."

"Seto and I can still do our part to help." Jou spoke up with a determined look on his face. "We can help Isis study any hieroglyphics since Seto can read ancient Egyptian. Maybe he can find a prophecy that we have overlooked. It's not much but it'll help." Jou offered, looking around the room and grinning sheepishly when they all nodded.

"What can we do?" Ryou asked, timidly. He felt Bakura shift beside him and was relieved when he felt the Thief King's arm around his waist with his hand resting on his hips. "I want to help, please. Is there anything I can do?"

"We need to stay safe." Yugi wisely said. "Whatever happened to us in that vision wasn't by our own doing, we didn't even look ourselves in that vision. I'm positive that something or someone is behind all this." He locked eyes with Jou, Ryou, and Malik. "We just need to stay safe because if we get hurt, it'll only put Yami, Marik, Kaiba and Bakura at a disadvantage. It wouldn't do them any good if we got hurt."

Everyone fell silent as Yugi's words sunk it. They all knew that something truly evil was upon them and what horrified them all was that they had no idea what it was or what it could be. They didn't know who it wanted to hurt or who it wanted to kill. That truly was a terrifying thought.

Kaiba then stood up, causing Jou to fall off his lap in a clumsy matter. The blonde looked annoyed and turned to punch his lover before Kaiba fixed with him a knowing look. Jounouchi just rolled his eyes and retracted his fist. "I think the most practical thing would be for you all to stay at the Kaiba Mansion."

There was no response as everyone looked at him confusingly.

"It'll be easier if we're all close together. My mansion has more than enough room to accommodate you all. If something were to happen, we'll all be together and we can face it all together. We'll fight as one. So please Bakura, Marik, Yami, Ryou, Yugi, and Malik, come stay with me and Jou till we figure this shit out."

"The Priest makes a good point." Bakura agreed. "Whatever this thing is, if it attacks one of us, we'll know the others are close behind. Help will come fast and swift."

"What about school?" Malik asked.

"We've got limos." Jou grinned, folding his arms behind his head. Even in the midst of a serious situation, Jou knew how to have fun. He was the carefree of the bunch and his relaxed manner brought immense comfort to everyone in the room. "They'll take us to DU." He then nodded at Ryou, "Of course they can drive you to DSAD too. We got it all covered."

And with that, a mutual understanding filled the room.

"Alright everyone, gather your things and we'll leave at once." Yami voiced and with nods all around the room, everyone began moving to gather the things they needed for their stay at Kaiba's Mansion.

* * *

><p>After Malik and Ryou gathered their necessities of clothes and school supplies, they both shoved it all into a large duffel bag for each of them. They then returned to the living room and nodded, signifying that they were ready. Ryou also grabbed the Millennium Ring and gave it Bakura who wore it proudly around his neck while Malik gave Marik the Millennium Rod who held it tightly in his hand.<p>

"Are we forgetting anything?" Ryou asked Malik with a raised brow.

"I don't think so."

Marik and Bakura shared a look and nodded as they drifted off into the room so their respective lights only to reemerge with decks in their hands. Although they had all abandoned Duel Monsters many years ago upon hitting college, they had all kept their decks for sentimental reasons.

"Just in case." Bakura shrugged as he pocketed his Diabound Deck (2) and Ryou's Occult Deck (2).

Marik nodded and placed his Immortality Deck (2) and Malik's Burn Deck (2) in his side pockets.

And with that, they all went downstairs to Kaiba's limousine so it could take them then to Kame Game Shop so that Yugi could gather his things. He grabbed his essentials and told his grandfather that he needed to stay at Kaiba's Mansion and although Kaiba was quick to offer the same to Sugoroku, the old man laughed good-naturally and declined. Yami drifted off into Yugi's room to grab his Dark Magician Strategy Deck (2) and Yugi's Inner Toy Deck (2). After giving their grandfather a loving embrace, Yugi and Yami returned to the limo so that they could all be taken to Kaiba's Mansion.

* * *

><p>As they emerged one by one from the sleek black limousine, Kaiba cleared his throat and turned around to look at his friends. They all stood on the marble staircase that led to the main entrance of the Kaiba Mansion and watched him in wonderment. Bakura was currently carrying Ryou's bag with Marik and Yami doing the same for their lights and the gray haired man shifted his weight to the other foot. "Something the matter, Priest?" he asked.<p>

Kaiba merely shook his head and turned towards the door. Entering in a code to the security panel, the large wooden doors opened gracefully and the eight boys began to walk in the direction of the main hall in the Kaiba Mansion. Marik hatefully glared at the security panel again once he passed by it on his way through the doors. Upon entering inside, the six of the boys reveled in its size and beauty while Jou grinned knowingly and Kaiba rolled his eyes.

The interior of Kaiba's Mansion was absolutely beautiful and break-taking. The main hall alone had beautiful carpets and its interior decoration suited that of a king. Two staircases rose high from the ground to that led to both Left Private Wing and the Public Right Wing with a joining floor in between the staircases. The hall extended out further to many doors which could only lead to more of the mansion's luxuries. The most impressive was the life size crystal statues of a Blue Eyes White Dragon and Red Eyes Black Dragon that stood proudly in between the staircases.

'Dragon fetish' Bakura sang out in his head to which Ryou poked him for being rude.

"Jounouchi and I occupy the left wing of the Mansion so you all can take the right wing. There are more than enough rooms for each of you to have an individual room but it is ultimately up to you if you so wish to share rooms." Kaiba informed as they all walked forward to come and stand in the center of the main hall.

"Kitchen is over there," Jou spoke up, pointing with his finger towards the back of the main hall. "Pool's out there." He pointed this time to the left most door on the first floor. "There are bathrooms are all over the place. Game room is over there. Living and sitting room are over there and there. And there are pretty much a bunch of random rooms that you can find out on your own." Jou recited as he pointed to each of the different locations and amenities in the Mansion.

"What's going on?" A new voice spoke and the eight boys turned to look at the top of the left staircase. There stood Mokuba Kaiba. He was sixteen and a sophomore at Domino High School and he was currently still in his blue uniform with the buttons left open. His raven hair was as long as it had been when he was younger, albeit still tamed and layered. "Seto, how and why are they here?" He referred bluntly to Yami, Bakura, and Marik as he walked down the stairs.

Tired of having to retell this story over and over, Kaiba rubbed his temples. "I'll tell you later. Long story short, they'll all be staying here for the next couple of weeks. Treat them with respect and welcome them into our home." Kaiba strictly told his younger brother.

Giving his older brother a pointed look, Mokuba raised a brow in confusion. He saw Jou give him a thumbs-up before looking at Kaiba. Seeing the tired and worrisome look in his brother's eyes were more than enough for Mokuba, "Alright then. Welcome you guys, make yourselves at home!" He said with a grin.

* * *

><p>They exchanged pleasantries and good conversations before the lights and their darknesses excused themselves to the right wing of the Mansion. They walked through the hall of the wing and looked at the impressive doors that led to the guest rooms.<p>

"What are you doing about rooming assignments?" Yugi asked Ryou and Malik. Since the past spirits were too much in awe of Kaiba's wealth and money in his Mansion, Yugi opted to talk to Malik and Ryou.

Malik shrugged. "I'm fine with whatever, I suppose."

"I don't particularly mind either." Ryou agreed.

"I think I'll stay with Yami." Yugi smiled. "That way if something does happen, I know he'll be there to protect me." He looked up as he felt Yami's hand on his shoulder and his eyes were met with a smile that belonged to his darkness.

"Come Yugi, you're staying with me." Yami told him and with that, he pulled the smaller boy by the shoulder into one of the guest rooms. Yugi turned around and waved enthusiastically, "Goodnight guys! See you in the morning!" The door opened and closed and the two tri-colored boys disappeared from sight.

"Malik, do you want to share a room?" Ryou asked his best friend. Before the blonde could reply, Ryou sharply looked behind him with a scowl on his face. "Bakura! No stealing from Kaiba's Mansion! He's our friend!" He scolded.

Light blue eyes glared at him before putting the shiny dagger that was hanging on the wall back to its original spot. He had tried to steal it by quickly stashing it under his robe but he knew better – Ryou shared his thoughts and would know of his actions. "Fuck off, Ryou." He swore.

Turning apologetically to Malik, Ryou smiled weakly. "Sorry Malik, I need to keep an eye on Bakura." The blonde only laughed and nodded.

"Come Ryou, we're leaving." Bakura ordered as he pushed Ryou into the next guest room. Taken by unsurprised, Ryou let out a yelp and wasn't able to bid his two friends goodnight. He extended a hand in a wild wave before the two disappeared behind the door without another word.

Malik turned to look at his other self who was currently leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching him intently. "Will you stay with me?" he asked softly, suddenly feeling shy. He watched with shy eyes as Marik let out a small chuckle and unfolded his arms before walking towards him.

"Yes, this way, I can protect you." Marik opened the door to the next guest room and stepped in through the entrance with Malik following. "I wouldn't have it any other way you know, I find that when you sleep beside me, I sleep more peacefully." He told his light honestly as he put Malik's duffel bag on the dresser at the far end of the room.

Malik's face burned slightly and he shook away the blush with a shake of his head. "Don't be ridiculous, Marik. Come on, let's go to bed." He said, climbing into bed. He faced away from Marik once he felt his darkness slip into bed beside him.

"I will protect you, Malik. I won't let anything happen to you – If either of us should die, it should be me. That way you can live a life of happiness with no more darkness clouding your heart and mind." Marik said as he stared up at the ceiling with his arms folded behind his head as a pillow.

Malik turned his body around to face his darkness. "I don't think I'll truly be happy if you disappear. The more and more time we spend together and the more and more I see you for the changed man that you are, it makes me realize that I need you in my life. One half cannot live without the other." Malik told him and with that he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.

Marik's eyes softened as he watched his other self sleep. What had been forged between them were the beginnings of a friendship between two individuals whom had once hated one another. Marik found that he was becoming more comfortable and at ease when he was by Malik's side. He still needed to learn of course but he felt that he was okay with that – he was learning how to feel things and function again. Learning how to live is difficult but learning how to live for another was a whole new thing for him. The spiky haired blonde knew that his less spiky haired counterpart wouldn't admit it, but Malik needed Marik in his life. Marik was Malik's strength that was born from his suffering past while Malik was Marik's source of happiness and joy to keep him away from the pain and suffering.

"I will protect you, I promise." Marik said softly as his lilac eyes closed. He slept peacefully beside his other self, dreaming of a better world for him and Malik.

* * *

><p>"What do you make of all this, Seto?" Jou asked as he tossed his shirt off and slipped into a comfortable pair of loose sleeping pants. He climbed into bed and watched as his lover threw off his shirt and threw on a pair of comfortable silk boxers.<p>

"You know I don't believe in that magic shit." Kaiba told him as he slipped into bed. He then laid down on the bed with Jou snuggling up to his side. Kaiba wrapped an arm around Jou's strong shoulders and kissed his pup's lips softly. "But I won't let anything happen to you. I promise. You are my world, Katsuya, I love you."

Jou let out a content mew and wrapped one around Kaiba's neck so he could snuggle up closer to him. "I love you with all my heart, Seto. Nothing will ever change that. We'll face this thing together as a team and plus we have all of our friends supporting us."

"I will protect you."

Jou leaned up to kiss the corner of Kaiba's lip. "And I will protect you."

They two lovers bid each other goodnight and both closed their eyes as they fell asleep. Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragon duel spirits all curled around the left side of the four-poster bed by their master's side while Jou's Red Eyes Black Dragon rested by the right side of the bed. They watched as their masters slept peacefully in each other's arm.

Blue eyes met Red eyes and the dragons lowered their heads in suspicion. They couldn't quite explain it but they felt an odd feeling emitting from their home in the Shadow Realm.

* * *

><p>Ryou fluffed his pillow contently as he crossed his legs in bed. He watched with amused eyes as Bakura paced around the room impatiently in thought. Running a hand through his snow white hair, Ryou let out a sigh. "You're going to give yourself a headache."<p>

Bakura sent him a small glare and ignored him, pacing faster.

"Bakura, stop that and come to bed. It's late." Ryou ordered.

"I have too much on my mind to sleep."

"If it's about all that has happened today, try not to think about it. We'll deal with it again tomorrow in the morning with the others. For now, let's go to bed. Besides, we'll need our strength for tomorrow." The painter wisely told his darkness.

With a defeated growl, Bakura threw off his red robe and climbed into bed beside Ryou. "Fine, let's go to bed." He laid down on the bed on his right side, his right arm bent as he rested his head on it. He watched with amused light blue eyes as Ryou closed his eyes and clasped his hands together in a slight prayer. It reminded Bakura of an angel. "What are you doing, Ryou?"

A few minutes passed before Ryou moved. He smiled softly to himself and settled under the covers, resting on his left side so that he could look at his darkness. "I'm praying, Bakura. I'm praying for all of us. I don't want you or any of our friends to get hurt."

A tanned hand reached out to run its fingers through Ryou's soft locks. "I will protect you with my life. I swear it."

Ryou nodded slightly and leaned forward to kiss the Thief King's scarred right cheek before closing his eyes and succumbing to sleep. Warmth spread throughout Bakura's face and he was relieved to feel that. Earlier when Ryou touched him, his scar burned with cold and pain. Feeling the warmth brought on by Ryou's lips lifted his spirits and it wasn't long before Bakura fell asleep by his light's side.

They two found comfort in each other's presence; even though their previous history had been tainted by pain and suffering, Ryou felt happiest when he was around Bakura. The Thief King provided him with so much security that made Ryou feel stronger and stronger every day. Knowing that his darkness never had any happy memories to himself, it made him so happy when he would see Bakura smile at him. Knowing that he inspired those types of happy feelings in Bakura made Ryou's heart swell with pride and warmth. Bakura was truly handsome when he smiled genuinely. They already established a friendship the first night they were reunited – perhaps more could be forged with each passing day.

* * *

><p>Yami and Yugi settled into bed together and both were lying on their backs, eyes looking up at the ceiling. The Pharaoh let out a content sigh and shut his eyes briefly before turning on his side, away from Yugi. "Goodnight little one, sleep well."<p>

"Goodnight Yami, pleasant dreams." Yugi replied back, his eyes still opened. A burning question ran through his mind ever since he was back in Malik and Ryou's apartment. As shy as he was, he knew he needed to ask. He made sure to block out Yami from his mind whenever he thought about this question for he wanted to ask Yami himself.

"Yami?" Yugi called, in a small timid voice.

The sound of rustling was heard as Yami turned back around to face Yugi. He opened his eyes and was met with curious amethyst ones. "What is it, Yugi?" When he saw the a faint tinge of red creep onto his light's face, Yami reached out with a tanned hand to lay it against Yugi's forehead. "Are you sick? What's wrong?"

Yugi only blushed harder. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can Yugi, what is your question?" he asked back softly.

Working up the courage in his heart, Yugi smiled weakly. "Why did you kiss me?"

Yami hummed in response. "It was the only thing I could think of doing at the time. You looked so lose and hurt and it pained me to see you like that. When I saw how Kaiba's kiss woke Jou up from his despair, I knew I should do the same to you. My heart clenches at the memory of how sad you looked." Yami asked answered truthfully as the hand that had previously been on Yugi's forehead now rested on his cheek affectionately.

"Oh I see, well, did you like it? The kiss, I mean." Yugi asked, looking embarrassed.

The ancient Pharaoh let out an amused chuckle. "Yes, I enjoyed it. And did you enjoy it, little one?"

Yugi nodded against the hand on his cheek. "I did, I liked it a lot." He replied honestly. Feeling more courage enter his heart, he leaned his face close and lightly kissed his darkness' lips. "This is my thanks to you now. Goodnight Yami." Yugi snuggled closer to Yami's chest and closed his eyes in sleep.

Color flooded Yami's cheeks at his light's actions. Tentatively, he touched his fingers to his lips. He would be lying if he didn't enjoy that second kiss. Although it was innocent and simply Yugi's thanks for comforting him, Yami felt himself wishing for more of the feeling of Yugi's lips against his. The two had always been close but this was a new territory for them both. The tanned skin man viewed Jounouchi as a close friend but he would never think to kiss him however with Yugi, Yami felt it almost came natural.

The spirit of the Millennium Puzzle knew that he harbored no romantic feelings for his partner and he knew that Yugi didn't either but then what was that second kiss really about? Yami's crimson eyes softened to a dull ruby as a thought came to him; being in a relationship with Yugi wouldn't be as bad of course. Yami already loved Yugi and Yugi loved him as well but this type of love was purely innocent however this new type of love that could develop was one of romanticism and not of friendship.

The Pharaoh knew he didn't love in his partner in that way but he felt as though he could grow to loving him in a romantic sense if given the time and the right moments. Letting out a small sigh, he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes: Its 4:00 in the morning. I'm not too tired but sleep would be much appreciated. I read through the chapter so hopefully there aren't too many errors this time. If there are, I'm sorry. It's late hahaha. I just really wanted to get this chapter out since I finished my history project. I actually really enjoyed writing this chapter – it gave me the opportunity to dig deeper into the developing relationships between the BronzePuzzle/Tendershipping couples.

1. Owl City – Meteor Shower lyrics (I don't own the song at all; I just found the lyrics fitting. You should listen to it if you haven't already. It's a nice song)  
>2. These are the names of the decks listed on Yugioh Wikia.<p>

If anyone's confused as to whether or not they're moving too fast or something, I can explain. They each feel their own individual comfort for their respective pairings and so this feeling of relaxation while among them allows for kisses to be shared. Just remember that these kisses have all been out of necessity; like they do it to comfort their lights. No romantic stuff yet but there is the mentioning potential for romantic love to grow. I've never written an 11, 000 worded chapter before…

**Read and Review please! It makes me happy :) Which comfort scene did you enjoy the most? Tender, Puzzle, Puppy, or Bronze? Tell me :D**

Final Words: 11k  
>Final Characters: 50k<br>Final Pages: 18


	5. Relation

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! or its character

Chapter: 5 "**Relation**"

Author's Notes: Thank you to all who read and reviewed AUR! Thank you to **Foxluna,****Queen-Hachi,****crazyhikari,****Kokoro****no****Nake,****pokemeface,****ignited1566,****davethecelticguardian,****Aoiaoi,****ilovemanicures,****Angeldrkfire,****TimeandRhythmnDoesIndeedSleep,**and **RyouandBakuraforever**. I also want to thank the anonymous reviewers! As I write this now, there have been a total of 867 hits and 377 visitors to this story. I'm kind of shocked at now having 44 reviews, thanks so much :) I hope you all enjoyed my nearly 12k worded chapter; I didn't realize I had written so much till I looked at the word count. I'm trying to keep this alliteration up in my chapter titles because I'm a BAMF like that. I have a huge craving for popcorn right now :( I'm sorry to the Puppyshippers out that who feel that I haven't dedicated the necessary time to write scenes for them, I will try harder to make more interactions between the two!

By the way friends, if you do not have a FF.N account but you want to have story alerts, I can email you when I update if you'd like. Just leave me a review with your email or something and I'll be sure to update you when I update my story. The alert system for members is always nice. I am having such a hard time writing this chapter.

**Foxluna**: In my head, the duel spirits of the others haven't really appeared because connections haven't been made – like Malik and Ryou have no need for them (Bakura and Marik also have been gone so there is no need for their duel spirits either). The DM and DMG briefly appeared in the first chapter due to Yami and Yugi's brief connection but the reason that Seto and Jou's spirits appear all the time is because they forged a relationship which caused the BEWD and REBD to appear. The duel spirits only come when a mutual relationship/connection is made. Does it make sense? It does in my weird head…

**TimeandRhythmnDoesIndeedSleep**: Refer up there with Foxluna about why the duel spirits don't appear for the others hahaha. It all makes sense in my head :(

**RyouandBakuraforever:**3

**ilovemanicures**: Thank you! :) I agree with you, Puzzleshipping is really boring in my opinion since both Yami and Yugi already love each other in a platonic way but hopefully I can make it work between them! The others have to put in more effort to forget a relationship! I actually favor Tendershipping over all others.

* * *

><p>The sunlight let in by the open window warmed the air as light filled the room. It was now the morning of the day after Yami, Yugi, Bakura, Ryou, Marik, and Malik all moved into Kaiba's Mansion. A pair of innocent lilac eyes opened as Malik woke up from his sleep. He turned his head to the right and looked at the digital clock resting on the night stand and groaned softly at seeing it.<p>

"7:30 in the morning…" he muttered to himself knowing he needed to get out of bed so he could get ready for his 8:30 class over at Domino University. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and rested his elbows on his blanket-covered thighs. The Egyptian stretched out his stiff limbs and yawned. Running a hand through his hair, he was disgusted at how somewhat greasy it felt through his fingers. Malik slipped out of bed and looked at his sleeping darkness.

"Even when he's sleeping he still looks so serious." Malik remarked to himself as he took note of the solemn look on Marik's face. The spiky haired Egyptian was sleeping silently, his strong chest rising and falling with every breath he took. Marik's brows were furrowed in discomfort and Malik tilted his head slightly. Feeling a shiver throughout his body, Malik grabbed Marik's purple cloak and draped it over his body just as Marik had done before for him.

A soft chuckle escaped Malik's lips once he felt warmth spread throughout his body. Marik also let out a soft sigh once the second layer was draped over his body; his brows no longer furrowed but instead relaxed. Malik gave Marik once last look before turning towards the direction of the bathroom. He walked towards the adjoining bathroom that was connected to his room and shut the door behind him.

Back in their room, Marik's eyes opened and looked towards the entrance to the bathroom. He felt Malik leave his side and he scowled at the lack of warmth he felt once Malik left the room. Sitting up in bed, he placed an open palm against his forehead and covered his right eye, watching as his purple cloak slipped to below his waist. He took a mental note of his cloak as it had not been there the night before and he merely shrugged at Malik's gesture. Marik then sighed tiredly and frowned. He leaned back against the wooden headboard of the bed and crossed his arms, waiting for his other self to leave the bathroom. "I suppose I should entertain myself somehow." He mused to himself.

In the bathroom, Malik took care of his morning necessities. He brushed his teeth and washed his face, looking at his reflection in the mirror as he did so. Once he felt hygienic enough, he grabbed the hem of his sleeveless shirt and pulled it over his head, placing it on the sink before taking off his pants and boxers, adding them also to the pile on the sink. Malik turned on the shower and stepped into it, sighing contently at feeling the warm water hit his skin.

He showered in silence as his mind drifted towards Marik.

Although it had only been about two days since his other self returned, Malik felt himself growing a bit attached to Marik. After witnessing the vision, he had clung to Marik in desperate need and it was only when he felt Marik's arms around him did he calm down – and that terrified Malik. The only time he was given physical comfort was from Rishid and it was because of Marik that he needed comforting; how was it that now, he sought comfort from the one source that he needed to be comforted about? How was it that Malik allowed himself to be comforted by Marik? Why is it that Marik even comforted him?

A million questions whirled around in his head till Malik let out a groan and held his pounding head. His questions were left unanswered and that bothered him greatly; he needed to know of Marik's true intentions. He made a mental note to ask his darkness about it later. After he finished showering and dressing, he walked back into his room and noticed that Marik was watching him with amused eyes.

"What?" Malik questioned, walking over to his bag and putting his supplies in it.

Marik let out a laugh, his shoulders shaking a bit. "How's your head?" he asked knowingly.

"Its fine, why do you – You're such an ass!" Malik cursed as he fixed his other self with a glare. Marik had been listening to his thoughts the entire time he was showering! Malik marched over to the school bag he had resting on his dresser with angry stomps of his feet. He needed to get ready for school, not deal with Marik's lack for privacy.

The darkness laughed harder at that, closing his eyes as he did so. His laughter dissolved into a chuckle as he smirked at his other self arrogantly. "I didn't know you thought about me whilst in the privacy of the washroom." He teased.

Color erupted on Malik's face as his eyes grew wide at what Marik was suggesting. "You're such an ass sometimes. I absolutely hate you." Malik told him as he turned back to his school bag and shoved more supplies into it harshly.

"Come now Malik, it was just a simple joke." Marik replied, chuckling still. His face then grew serious as he got out of bed and stood. He walked over to his other self and stood in front of him, bending his head so that he was looking downwards at Malik. "The Thief King and I leave for the Shadow Realm today."

Malik paused and looked up at his darkness. His eyes grew soft and he stood to his feet, looking up into identical lilac colored eyes. He saw countless emotions running through them: fear, worry, weariness, determination, and then strength. His darkness looked so somber that Malik reached out a tan hand to caress Marik's cheek in an affectionate manner. His fingers traced the curve of Marik's cheek at the exact moment that Marik leaned his face closer to Malik's touch as if they were one. "Are you scared?" he asked timidly.

Marik closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly before opening them again to gaze into Malik's eyes. He covered Malik's hand with his own and brought it down so he could hold it by his side. "No, I'm not scared. I don't fear anything." As he said this however, his eyes betrayed his words and Malik knew that. Seeing the knowing look in Malik's eyes, Marik knew that he could not lie to his other self. Faltering slightly, he sighed. "I'm more scared of what will happen to you when I'm not around. I can't protect you when I'm away in the Shadow Realm."

Malik laughed outright at that to lighten the mood. "I'll be fine, Marik. I will be with the others! Besides, we all have Kaiba and Yami to stand guard for us; they'll protect us when you and Bakura can't."

"Yes, well what about when you all are at school? Who will protect you then? Kaiba has his company to manage and the Pharaoh has no place at your school." Marik pointed out.

A frowned marred Malik's face as he tilted his head thoughtfully. "Oh you have a point there. Maybe we should talk about it with the others; Yugi and Jou have class today too. Ryou has the day off so he should be fine in Kaiba's Mansion."

Marik caressed Malik's hand with his thumb as his eyes softened slightly. "If something happens, call for me. I will come as quickly as I can. Use this." Marik told him, nudging Malik's head with his own. "I will hear your thoughts and I will come."

Feeling Marik's gentle caress on his hand made Malik blush bashfully. His cheeks were a pretty rosy color and he smiled tightly before standing up on his tippy-toes. He knew he was being repetitive by saying that Marik was a changed man but how true it was. Malik sensed a newfound joy in Marik's heart that had not ever existed and Malik found himself satisfied with the fact that he was the one causing happiness in Marik's heart. The Egyptian found himself at ease whenever he was around Marik and although that terrified him beyond relief, Malik was okay with being scared. He knew that in time, he wouldn't have to feel scared – he wanted to accept Marik in his heart as a friend. Accepting Marik as anything more would require more time if it even got to that point – they needed to take small steps. He dropped Marik's hand and wrapped his arms around his darkness' neck in a tender embrace. "Be safe and come home soon."

Marik was caught off guard and he blinked confusingly. He felt warmth spread throughout his body that could only have been from feeling Malik's body so close to his. The only thing running through his mind was that he needed to protect his other self with his life. In understanding, he wrapped his tan arms around the other's waist, brought Malik closer and burrowed his face in the crook of his neck. He lazily inhaled Malik's lavender scent and involuntarily nuzzled his nose against Malik's pulse point. "I will but you must promise me to do the same."

Lilac eyes closed in content as Malik nodded. "I promise." And with that, he pulled away with a smile. He took Marik's hand and together, the two Egyptians walked out their room in the direction of the kitchen. "I won't forgive you if you don't come home." Malik said, looking at his other self from the corner of his eyes. His eyes were teasing yet firm. The hold on his hand only tightened in response.

"I will do my best."

Marik's answer seemed to suffice for the two as they lapsed into silence and walked down the stairs. They walked in companionable silence, both boys feeling a sense of comfort from holding one another's hand. Every now and then, Malik would feel Marik brush his thumb against his in a tender caress which only made him smile. They neared the large kitchen doors and saw the familiar faces of their friends. Yami, Kaiba and Jou were already all awake and in the kitchen.

Jounouchi had his back turned to Marik and Malik so he had not heard their arrival and was currently busying himself with making some breakfast for everyone. Kaiba was sitting at the dining table reading the newspaper with a mug of hot coffee held loosely in his hand. He took a sip and looked up, sensing the arrival of others into the kitchen. Yami was sitting by his side, his arms and legs crossed thoughtfully. He followed Kaiba's gaze and saw Malik and Marik enter into the kitchen.

"Good morning Jou, Yami, Kaiba." Malik greeted.

The darker haired blonde turned around at hearing Malik's voice and grinned at seeing his friend. "Good morning, you two!" Jou greeted as he hurried to finish breakfast. Malik dropped Marik's hand and floated to sit beside the tri-color haired boy. He graciously accepted the plate of food that Jou placed in front of him and dug hungrily into it. Jou could only laugh as he put the rest of everyone's breakfast onto the table and came to stand behind Kaiba, massaging his lover's shoulders. Marik came to stand beside his other self, looking at Kaiba and Yami with grave eyes.

"We have a bit of a problem, Pharaoh." Marik said, crossing his arms. He cleared his throat when lightly when Malik extended out a hand to feed a piece of bacon into Marik's mouth. The spiky haired blonde turned his head but Malik wouldn't have it – he brought the fork closer to the darkness' mouth until Marik sighed and gave in. Opening his mouth slightly, he took the piece of bacon off the fork with his tongue, chewed it and swallowed it. Malik let out a cheer as he turned back to his food and munched on it contently.

Yami raised an amused brow at the scene before him – never would he think he would ever see Marik such at ease. During the times of Battle City, Marik was a psychotic maniac bent on killing him and now so many years later, he was a changed man. Life truly was an interesting thing. "What would that be?"

Marik let out a grunt when Malik tried to feed him another piece of food. He made a move to bite Malik's hand in annoyance but Malik reacted quickly and pulled away having heard Marik's intention. Marik could only smirk at his other self who glared at him menacingly. He turned towards the Pharaoh with a frown, "We will have no way to protect Malik, Jou and Yugi when they're away at school."

"He makes a point." Kaiba agreed as he folded his newspaper and sipped from his mug of coffee. Jou frowned uncomfortably at that as he leaned down to wrap his arms around Kaiba's neck from behind, resting his head against Kaiba's. The blue eyed man reached up to run the back of his fingers against Jou's cheek and the blonde kissed his fingertips lovingly.

"The Thief King and I leave for the Shadow Realm today and I expect we will not return till late. The others will be vulnerable to attack; we have no one to protect them while they're off at school."

"I suppose I could accompany them to school?" Yami suggested hesitantly. Although he did not like the idea of going to school since modern-day school was like a foreign world to him, he knew he needed to protect the others. The need to guard and defend outweighed the negativity of him going to school. The other three boys turned to him with raised brows. They all looked wonderingly at the Pharaoh till he cleared his throat uncomfortably. "If it has to be done, I will do it. If anything, I will simply observe them in the shadows from afar."

"What of Ryou?" Malik spoke up, bringing the glass of water to his lips and drinking it.

"I can take Ryou to work with me and watch him from there." Kaiba said, clasping his hands together and resting his chin on them. He watched his friends with wise sapphire eyes as he hummed contently. "I don't think he will mind. Bakura also will be at ease knowing that he is safe."

They all nodded their heads in agreement. Kaiba would take Ryou with him to work while Yami would watch over Yugi, Malik and Jou while Bakura and Marik took to the Shadow Realm. The ancient King glanced at the cloak hanging off the wall and frowned. "Malik, what time do you have class today?"

Malik turned to look over his shoulder as he had finished his breakfast and was now washing his hands. He let out a hum and turned back to scrubbing his hands with soap and water, "I've got class at 8:30 to about 10:30."

"My class starts at 10:00 and ends at 10:50 and I think Yugi has class around 9:25 to 10:15." Jou added.

Yami pointed to the clock with a tanned finger. "Well, its 7:50 now."

"WHAT!" Malik screeched as he whirled around with wide eyes. He looked thunderously at the clock and let out a barbaric yelp as he rushed forward to grab his school bag. "Jou, wake up Yugi and let's go! I'm not about to be late!" Jounouchi was yanked hard on the arm by Malik and he hastily gave a quick kiss on Kaiba's cheek before being shoved out of the kitchen by Malik to wake Yugi.

The Egyptian blonde frantically ran out of the kitchen and Marik could only sigh as he calmly followed. Although he walked, Marik took large strides so he caught up to his other self quickly. Malik was tapping his foot impatiently, glancing at his cell phone for the time. Marik paused as he faced Malik's back. He then reached out to grab the back of Malik's shoulder.

"What? What are you doing, my darkness?" Malik questioned.

Marik was silent as he pulled down the back of Malik's shirt at the shoulder so he could kiss the back of his shoulder. His lips pressed tenderly on Malik's skin as he kissed the beginning spot of the initiation's inscription. "Be safe."

Malik stopped his fidgeting and closed his eyes contently at the feeling of Marik's soft lips. Reaching behind him to lay a hand against Marik's cheek, he affectionately rubbed at Marik's skin. He felt Marik wrap his arms around his waist from behind and Malik instinctively leaned back against the darkness' touch. He leaned his head up, resting it against Marik's chest. "I will, I promise."

A sense of satisfaction was then established.

The two pulled away as Yugi and Jou came running into the hallway that led to the main entrance to the mansion. Yami, however, walked gracefully behind. He needed to stand guard and watch over them while they were all at school. The shorter boy still looked a bit sleepy but he was grinning sheepishly at Malik. "Sorry, I overslept." He offered and the Egyptian merely shrugged and nodded at his darkness before he took Jou and Yugi's hand in his and dashed out the door.

Marik watched with still eyes as the door shut, hoping in his heart that his light would be okay. He knew he was being paranoid and it was unlikely that Malik would be harmed but having learned to care for him made him consider Malik's safety to be very important. Whatever was out there that wanted to hurt his precious other self would have to deal with his fury first. Shoving his hands in his pocket, he hissed irritably and walked back into the kitchen.

* * *

><p>The three college students settled into the black limousine that belonged to Kaiba. The car was lavished with several luxuries that included plush, leather seats, a small refrigerator, a mini but high-res television, stereo system and many other amenities. Malik, Yugi and Jou all sat together in the back of the limo while Yami sat in the front beside the chauffeur (who was unknown to him) as he was skeptic about the unknown man and wanted to make sure he would do no harm to his friends. The students were separated from the front end of the car by a view door that was soundproof. Jounouchi leaned back comfortably against the seat and crossed his arms over his chest as he raised a brow at his best friend. "So Yugi, what were you up to last night that made you oversleep?"<p>

Malik raised a brow too, "Yes, enlighten us." He felt better and at ease knowing that he wasn't going to be late for class. Jou had assured him that their chauffeur would get them to their destination as quickly as possible, even if it meant disobeying the rules of the road a little.

Yugi's face flushed a little and he looked downwards towards his lap. His face had the faintest tinge of pink and the young man hoped that his friends wouldn't notice. His yellow bangs bounced as the King of Games shook his head rapidly, "Nothing at all! Just sleep!"

Brows were only raised higher at the briskness of Yugi's answer.

"You know we'll get it out of you eventually, Yugi. You're horrible at lying." Malik pointed out with a small chuckle and Yugi sighed, knowing his friend was right. He looked towards his Egyptian friend and then at his best friend. The nod of his head signaled to Malik and Jou that he would talk. "Alright you guys are right. Malik, I need you to sever your thoughts with Marik first – I don't want him knowing. I will do the same with Yami."

Malik only shrugged and his lilac eyes glazed over which meant that he was linking his mind together with Marik. /**I ****need ****to ****block ****you ****for ****a ****second, ****is ****that ****okay?**/

/ /**Why ****do ****you ****need ****to? ****Is ****there ****something ****wrong?**/ /

/**Just ****something ****for ****private ****ears, ****it****'****ll ****be ****okay**/

/ /**Very ****well**/ / and with that Malik got his darkness' permission. Malik's eyes returned to its beautiful luster as he nodded at Yugi. The boy nodded back and his eyes clouded slightly as he told Yami of his blocking at their connection. A couple seconds passed and amethyst eyes sparkled again.

Yugi's face burned even more as he prepared himself for his confession. Malik and Jou simultaneously leaned in closer, both intrigued and greatly interested. Whatever Yugi had to say must have been really important for his face to blush so intensely. "I kissed the Pharaoh last night." He mumbled.

"Whoa! No bullshit?" Jou exclaimed with a gasp and Yugi only blushed harder. He burrowed his face in his hands, willing his friends not to look at him but of course to no avail. He felt Jou clap a hand to his head and ruffle at his hair which only made him let out an embarrassed groan. "Aw, how cute." He teased.

"It's not like I did it because I like him, in that way anyway." Yugi reasoned.

"Then why do it at all?" Malik asked.

Yugi looked up at his friends, his face set as always. He crossed his arms too as he bit his lower lip. "I only did it out of like thanks. I mean he kissed me when I needed him to so I guess I kissed him on my own since he did. Like a repayment. I didn't do it out of anything love-related or anything like that! I guess I did I did it because I felt like I had to – like how he kissed me since he needed to." Yugi then sighed. "I'd be lying if I didn't somewhat enjoy it though. It was a nice kiss. The only thing is that I don't think I could ever see Yami in that way, he's like my best friend!"

"You never know, Yugi. Maybe not right now, not at this moment, but you might grow to like him as more. I mean take me for example; I use to hate Seto with ever fiber of my body but look at us now: two years and happily dating. We replaced hate with love. I mean yeah, we had to be friends first but even then I grew extremely close to him so feelings of love replaced those initial feelings of friendship." Jou wisely told him with a quirked eyebrow. "You never know what can happen. I suggest you just have an open mind."

Yugi only looked sour.

Malik frowned as he then thought about his situation. "I've kissed Marik but not because of any romantic feelings or anything weird like that. I've only done it out of necessity too but I feel like whenever I did it, I did it for us: for him and for me. We've only established the basis of a friendship so Jou, if you're suggesting that it'll grow into something more, I highly doubt that. At least for me anyway," he clarified.

Jou only shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "I was just talking about in Yugi's case since he actually kissed him on the lips but since you brought up your situation with Marik, I think you should keep an open mind too. We don't know the future; hell, anything could happen. Marik has changed and you might start to like his changes."

Malik and Yugi huffed, "I don't see us going in that direction." They replied in unison. Lilac eyes met amethyst ones and their owners nodded. Both boys knew that their relationships with their respective darkness would only be that of friends; anything more would be deemed awkward to them. Although they both thought this, even they couldn't deny that seeking relationships with Yami and Marik wouldn't be all that bad – but as of right now, it was far from their minds.

Jou looked out the window and saw that they had arrived at their destination, Domino University. "We're here, let's go." The three exited the limousine and Jou told the chauffeur to be back in exactly four hours to pick them up. Yugi watched as Yami silently came to stand behind him and his face wrinkled slightly when he saw his darkness' lips.

Yami could only raise a brow which made Yugi blush at getting caught. "Malik has to go to class; he'll be over at the humanities building. Jou and I don't have class yet so you can hang out with us in the library if you'd like. It's just over there," Yugi said, pointing towards his left at the large building.

The Pharaoh could only nod, "Alright. But I think we should all walk Malik to his class first and then to the library." Knowing of his darkness' overprotective manner, Yugi shrugged. Jou, Yami and Yugi all followed Malik as he walked to the humanities building. His Psychology class was located on the first floor and upon arriving there, Malik made a small wave before walking through the doors and disappearing from sight.

The remaining boys then made the trek to the library that was situation beside the humanities buildings. Yami, Jou and Yugi all walked in silence with Yugi in the middle of the taller boys. Yami's crimson eyes would dart back and forth from the other students walking around, surveying the environment with cautious eyes. Jou and Yugi conversed as they neared the library. Once they entered, they walked to the study hall and sat down beside one another while Yami merely crossed his arms and leaned back against the desk.

"How was your sleep last night, Yami?" Jou asked with an amused smile. Although he knew not to press the matter between Yugi and his darkness, he simply wanted to have an input into Yami's thoughts.

"It was fine, I didn't sleep as quickly as Yugi but it was alright." Yami answered, solemnly. He watched as his partner pulled out a book and burrowed his nose in it, reading it or on Yugi's part, pretending to read it. The smaller boy wanted to seem disinterested or at least not paying attention even though he was. "I had a few things on my mind that night." Yami finished.

"What kind of things?" Jou pressed on.

Yami hummed in response and looked away, pausing slightly. He felt Yugi's interest pique within his mind and he knew why his light was so interested. Yami didn't want to lie because he knew that Yugi would know but then again he didn't feel so comfortable about what had happened last night. Although Yami wasn't disgusted about the kiss, he felt that he just needed to further analyze the situation. He and Yugi had been close friends for years and although the Pharaoh kissed him briefly when he needed to, he hadn't expected Yugi to respond with such vigor in his own kiss. The taller tri-colored haired boy admitted that he had also kissed Yugi aggressively but he was just in awe of how he reacted. Yugi brought out his inner beast just by a simple kiss. He inwardly blushed at the remembrance of tongue.

Yugi sensed his darkness going through an internal battle within his head and he cleared his throat to change the subject. He looked up at his friends with a good-natural grin, "How was your sleep last night, Jou?"

Both Yami and Jou looked at each other and both knew of Yugi's plot to change the subject. Yami thought that Yugi was uncomfortable about what had happened between them and he too wanted to further analyze the situation before confronting it so he let it slide for now. Jounouchi on the other hand knew he pressed when he shouldn't have so he nodded. "It was pretty good, same old. Seto likes to cuddle." He smiled as he said this, thinking of his lover.

The Pharaoh laughed outright at that, his mood lightening as he was allowed to think about something else other than his kiss with Yugi. "That's surprising. I'm sure Kaiba wouldn't ever admit that."

Yugi laughed as well. "I'm sure he wouldn't. Seto likes to look cool."

Jounouchi joined in the laughter as he began throwing more and more things into the conversation to distance themselves from the subject of Yami's sleep and of course, the kiss. "Seto doesn't like to admit it but he is a huge blanket hog too, he says he's sensitive to the cold."

"How ironic." Yami mused.

"Irtyu (1) thinks so too. She thinks it's funny since Seto use to be cold to everyone. He was such an asshole back then. Oh, but I guess he still is an asshole – just a more tamed asshole." Jou grinned. Yami and Yugi then looked confused, their brows rose in unison. Jou blinked back before rubbing the back in his head. "Oh right, Irtyu (1) is one of Seto's Duel Spirits. She, Kisara (1), and Aoi (1) are his Blue Eyes White Dragons. Do you guys not have any? I thought you would, I mean what with the Dark Magician and the Dark Magician Girl being your favorite monsters."

Yugi and Yami still looked confused. "Duel Spirits?" Yugi asked before turning towards his darkness. "Is that why we saw the Dark Magician and the Dark Magician Girl that night? But they only appeared for a brief second." Yami only shrugged in response. Yugi looked towards Jounouchi, "Do you have one?"

The blonde nodded and pointed a thumb over his right shoulder. As if right on cue, a large black body with glittering garnet eyes appeared behind him. Although it looked transparent and a bit misty, there was no denying it that they were now in the presence of the Red Eyes Black Dragon. "This is Akai (2), my Red Eyes Black Dragon. Akai, this is Yugi and Yami." The dragon inclined his head in greeting and let out a soft growl.

"Hello!" Yugi greeted with a wide grin. He thought it was so cool that Jou had a Duel Spirit that came whenever he was called. He only wished that he could call on the Dark Magician whenever he wanted too. "When did you first appear to Jou, Akai?"

The dragon lazily stretched out its wings before folding it back against its scaly back. He lounged behind Jounouchi and his beautiful ruby eyes sparkled. "I made myself first known two years ago at about the same time that my white dragons appeared to Seto." He let out a low roar as he yawned somewhat tiredly. He curled himself around Jounouchi and closed his eyes.

The blonde could only chuckle at his dragon as he affectionately reached back to rub at Akai's scales. "He likes to sleep." He stated and the dragon disappeared from sight as Jou's hand drifted back to his lap.

Yugi and Yami looked at each other; both concluding that the Red Eyes Black Dragon appeared to Jou roughly around the time that he had forged a relationship with Kaiba. The two tri-colored haired boys knew that they had both seen their respective Duel Spirits the first night they were reunited but the magicians disappeared as quickly as they first appeared. Perhaps this was some foreshadowing on their part telling them they maybe another type of relationship will be made. The two then looked away, willing themselves not to think about the possibilities of a relationship or the reality of what was happening.

Yugi felt a vibration in his pocket and pulled out his phone. He looked at the time and stood, gathering his books and bag. "I've got to go to class." Jou and Yami stood as well so that they could walk the King of Games to his Computer Programming class. They conversed in a friendly companionable manner before Yugi gave a final wave and disappeared into his class.

Jou and Yami then walked out of the Computer Science Building and proceeded to walk in the direction of the Mathematics Building so Jou could attend his Business class. The two walked in silence, eyes focused straight ahead. Yami had his hands in his pockets and Jounouchi had one of hand in his pocket while the other was used to hold his school bag over his shoulder. "So you and Yugi kissed, huh?"

The Pharaoh hummed in response, checking to see if Yugi was in tune with their mind link. The younger boy must have been focusing during class because he didn't sense Yugi within his mind. He turned his head towards Jou and nodded slightly. "Yes, we did."

"What did you think of it?" Jou asked.

"It was nothing. It was pleasant but it felt like nothing."

"So, you're saying that you didn't hate it?"

"Yes, it was fine. I wasn't repulsed by it if that's what you're trying to imply. I just don't know what to make of it so far – when Yugi kissed me, I felt warmth. It didn't feel right but it didn't feel wrong. It's hard to explain." Yami offered.

Jounouchi smiled at that and let the matter drop. He didn't want to press into matters that did not concern him. For now, he was content on letting things unfold on their own if things will anyway. They talked the rest of the way there and talked outside Jou's classroom before it was time for Jou to go to class. He gave the Pharaoh a two fingered wave and disappeared into the classroom. Yami watched him go and then walked out of the building. He slipped into the shadows and observed Yugi, Jou, and Malik respectively. He made sure to stay hidden from sight to not arouse any suspicion. He easily watched the three of them evenly, crossing his arms as he watched them learn.

Fifteen minutes passed and Yami remembered that he needed to go pick up Yugi now from his class. He walked towards the Computer Science building and waited outside Yugi's classroom and a real, genuine smile graced his lips once he saw his light. They greeted each other and Yugi rambled on and on about what he had learned that day. They walked around the campus as they talked; Yami would laugh whenever he would see Yugi's exuberance from talking about his beloved studies. They talked and talked and minutes passed by peacefully – in time they would need to pick up Malik and Jou from their classes.

* * *

><p>Ryou let out a soft mew when he awoke. He refused to open his eyes though for he didn't want to feel the sting of having his eyes not He stretched out his arms, his hands clenching into fists as he sighed contently. His fist then connected with something soft and a pained hiss sounded throughout the air. Ryou snapped his eyes open and bolted upwards into a sitting position before turning towards Bakura.<p>

The Thief King had one of his eyes closed while a tanned hand rubbed vigorously at his left cheek. It seemed that Ryou had accidently punched Bakura on the cheek when he stretched. Ryou let out a squeal and covered his mouth. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" he cried.

Bakura merely groaned in response and sat up, still rubbing his sore cheek. "What is with you and assaulting me in order to wake me up? I'm not a heavy sleeper, you could just tap me." Bakura said, opening his other eye so he could glare at his light.

The white haired boy let out a small whine and reached out so he could rub Bakura's cheek himself. "I'm sorry, Bakura. I didn't mean to." His fingers rubbed at the Thief King's cheek tenderly until Bakura laughed and covered Ryou's hand with his own.

"It's fine." He took Ryou's hand in his and held it briefly before letting go of it. Bakura casually leaned back against the headboard, crossing his arms. He watched with amused eyes as Ryou lied back down on his tummy and looked up at him with sparkling brown eyes. The younger boy was resting his chin on his hands with his elbows touching the soft mattress. "Today's the day I go to the Shadow Realm with Marik."

Ryou tilted his head to the side and frowned. He moved so he could rest his hand on Bakura's knees and the tomb robber ruffled Ryou's hair in response. "Why do you have to go so soon?"

"It would be best to go as soon as possible so we can deal with the problem before it gets out of our control."

"When will you be home?" Ryou asked innocently as he involuntarily rubbed his cheek against Bakura's knee. He loved the feeling of Bakura's body against his; it gave him relief and comfort.

Bakura hummed as he twirled his fingers through Ryou's snow white hair, "I expect not till late. Marik and I will probably be gone all day; the Shadow Realm is quite vast. I'm sorry that I cannot stay to watch over you." He apologized softly, his eyes looking into Ryou's.

The smaller boy only smiled in kind as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. "I'll be fine." He reassured.

"Will you be with the others?"

Ryou shook his head. "Malik, Jou and Yugi all have class today. Seto also has to go to work and I'm not quite sure what Yami will do." He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm assuming that I'm staying here by myself."

Bakura abruptly jumped out of bed, startling Ryou slightly. The tanned man looked at his light with grave eyes. "No, I won't have it. You need to be with someone at all times. I don't want anything to happen to you – I'd never forgive myself if I let it get that far."

The tomb robber had always been protective of Ryou however now his protective side was different. Before, Bakura had only wanted to protect Ryou's body so that he could take over and manifest himself but now, Bakura wanted to protect Ryou because he knew he needed to. He had come to care for his light and he didn't want anything to harm Ryou.

Bakura reached out a hand and yanked Ryou to his feet before pushing him in the direction of the bathroom as he trudged along behind him. Ryou let out little squeals of surprise as he tried desperately to push Bakura away from him.

"Bakura, if you want me to go shower, you can't come with me!" He cried out embarrassingly.

The Thief King only blinked and stopped at the entrance of the bathroom. "What? What do you have that I don't? Other than abs of course." He asked, poking Ryou's flat stomach only to be slapped away by Ryou's creamy white hand. "Did you forget? I've seen your body loads of times; I use to inhabit it." He pointed out. "Don't be such a little bitch, Ryou. It's not that big of a deal. In Egypt, it was common to be in the presence of others whilst bathing." Bakura told him matter-of-factly.

Ryou let out a small growl and pushed Bakura away from him gently. "Cool story Bakura but this is Japan and although I do admit that in hot springs, people do generally bathe together, this is a house so that means GET OUT." Ryou hollered as he quickly stepped into the bathroom and slammed the door. His face was red at the thought of sharing the bathroom with Bakura at the same time; it just wasn't the same! He let out uncharacteristic curses under his breath as he brushed his teeth hard and took care of his morning routine of cleaning himself up. Normally he wasn't this assertive but he was so embarrassed at what had happened that he just snapped.

/ / _Ryou_/ / Bakura chimed into his head.

/_Bugger __off, __Bakura!_/

Outside of the bathroom, Bakura laughed outright. He was only messing with his light, he didn't mean for Ryou to get so uptight. He settled on waiting for his light to finish his morning necessities so that he could too. Ten minutes passed before Ryou stepped out in a towel wrapped around his whole body and Bakura watched amusingly as the white haired boy glared at him. Although Ryou was trying to look intimidating, his glare came off as overly adorable in Bakura's eyes – Ryou definitely could not pull off a scary glare.

A light blue eye winked at Ryou and the other boy huffed in response, turning his back to Bakura. The tomb robber howled in laughter as he went into the bathroom, deciding that he should give Ryou a break. He showered in silence and five minutes then passed before he stepped out. Bakura had a towel wrapped around his waist and droplets of water were trailing down his well toned chest as well as his long gray hair dripping with water. The drops of liquid glided down each and every one of his abdominal muscles and Bakura inwardly groaned at the cleansing feeling he felt.

Chocolate brown eyes flashed in his direction before turning away.

Ryou let out a little squeak and turned away, now fully dressed. "I will be waiting for you in the kitchen." He quickly said as he sped through the room and out of sight; he must have still been embarrassed. Bakura being nearly naked as it was also probably wasn't helping. Ryou powered walked through the hall ways, his face still a burning red. He was embarrassed but who wouldn't be? Ryou wouldn't lie, he knew that Bakura was handsome – there was obviously no point in denying that. The Thief King also looked something else to Ryou but the boy dared not to say it.

/ /_What __are __you __thinking __about, __my __light?_ / /

/_Fuck__off_ / Ryou violently bit back and his mind was filled with the sounds of Bakura's laughter which only fueled his further embarrassment. He knew that his darkness was tapping into his thoughts and it only caused his face to burn redder.

Bakura closed his eyes and smiled to himself amusingly as he finished listening to Ryou's thoughts. He truly wasn't one for privacy. Upon listening to his light's thoughts, Bakura could only smirk at Ryou's innocence. His light truly was an interesting person. He dressed in silence before drifting off to find his light in the kitchen. He followed the scent of food with his nose and walked into the kitchen, raising his brow at seeing Kaiba and Ryou conversing while Marik was looking out the window passively.

Ryou looked up at his darkness, his face back to its creamy color. He stuck out his tongue playfully and turned to his breakfast, munching on it contently. It seemed he was now over his earlier embarrassment. The Thief King took a seat beside his light and nodded in greeting towards Kaiba and Marik who both nodded back to him.

"Kaiba, I need to talk to you." Bakura started before the brunette cut him off.

"I talked to the others about it already – Ryou will accompany me to work. I will watch over him while you and Marik are away." Kaiba formally said. He folded up his newspaper to a certain spot and twirled a pen in his hand as he started to do a Sudoku puzzle. His sapphire eyes glanced over the many various blank spaces before he closed his eyes and filled in the numbers quickly, having already figured out the sequence in his head.

Ryou let out a surprised sound before cheering madly at Kaiba, applauding him for his intelligence. The brunette only shrugged in response, a small smile on his face. Bakura watched amusingly before slipping away to stand in front of Marik. The blonde Egyptian looked grave as he turned his attention towards his fellow Egyptian.

"Hello Tomb Robber." He greeted.

"Tomb Keeper." Bakura replied back easily. He extended out a hand to Marik who stared at him hauntingly. "Shall we go?" he questioned, with a raised brow. Kaiba and Ryou then fell silent as they watched Bakura interact with Marik.

"Yes," Marik agreed, laying his hand in Bakura's. Bakura gave him a small jerk and Marik was pulled to his feet. The two dropped their hands and turned towards Kaiba and Ryou. "We will be back as soon we can – don't wait up for us though if we don't come home. We will come back when we can."

"Though I expect we will return within the day – hopefully it will not come to that, Marik." Bakura added.

"Don't be stupid." Kaiba told them solemnly. He extended a hand to Bakura and the gray haired thief blinked before shaking his hand awkwardly, not accustomed to the gesture. Kaiba then turned to Marik and did the same to which the blonde responded easily. "Come back when you can, Yami and I will watch over things here."

"Take care of them with your life, Priest. If anything happens to Ryou, I will kill you myself." Bakura told him gravely and the old Priest nodded his head in understanding. He watched as Kaiba's sapphire eyes firstly connected with his light blue ones before they then turned to Marik's lilac ones.

"I will. You have my word; no harm will come to Ryou. And none will come to Malik." Kaiba added once he looked at Marik.

Marik bowed in thanks, his spiky blonde hair bouncing slightly as he inclined his head. "Thank you." He replied sincerely.

And with that, Kaiba, Marik and Bakura all established an everlasting trust within each other.

Ryou sadly reached out a hand to Bakura but the Thief King stepped away. He looked solemnly at his light before turning his head and following Marik out of the kitchen. He paused slightly at the entranced and looked over his shoulder at Ryou. The two locked gazes and stared at one another before Bakura sighed and broke contact, walking away. The painter let out a sad sigh of his own as he watched the tip of Bakura's red outer coat disappear behind the kitchen door.

"He'll be fine, Ryou. Everyone will be." Kaiba comforted as he then turned to another Sudoku puzzle. "Hurry and finish your breakfast, we'll be leaving soon. Do you want to bring anything? I don't want to bore you too much while you're with me – I guess you could paint something again?" The blue eyed man offered, looking at Ryou from the corner of his eyes.

Ryou only smiled, "I will. I haven't painted a picture of Domino in the morning before. The view from your office will be perfect."

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><p>Bakura and Marik walked to the main hall of Kaiba Mansion and looked at each other gravely. The Thief King gathered his long gray hair in a ponytail before tossing it all over his shoulders. He watched as Marik ran a hand through his spiky blonde hair and then reached into his back pocket, pulling out the Millennium Rod.<p>

Its golden hilt glittered beautifully in the light given off by the chandelier in the main hall and Marik looked at the Millennium Item fondly. He twirled it with his fingers and nodded at Bakura, signaling he was ready.

Bakura nodded back before closing his eyes. He raised hands and brought them up to his chest so that he formed a non existent ball between his hands though his hands did not touch. He clenched his eyes in slight concentration before muttering softly in ancient in Egyptian. The Thief King's tanned chest glowed brightly as he called forth his Millennium Ring. The golden ring materialized onto his chest as its ringlets jingled upon being summoned.

Bakura further recited some phrases in Egyptian and Marik watched in silent respect.

A few more minutes before light blue eyes snapped open and a dark, shadow portal appeared before them. The portal was purple and black and clouds of darkness billowed about it as a cold air seemed to chill the air. It looked like the entrance to a shadowy tunnel that reeked of sadness and pain. Marik and Bakura looked at one another one last time before they stepped into the dark portal of the Shadow Realm. The portal closed behind them as the two Egyptians disappeared from sight.

The Shadow Realm looked bleak and dark. Black and purple shadows wisped about in eternal darkness and the air was invitingly cold. Bakura let out a groan as he shivered slightly. He checked his side to make sure that Marik had successfully travelled to the abyss with him and upon seeing the other's spiky head, he nodded in determination.

"Alright Marik, let's do this."

"It would be wise not to split up." Marik concluded and he sensed the nodding of Bakura's head in response.

The two walked in silence, eyes darting about as they surveyed the Shadow Realm. Although their eyes were met with the familiar sights of just pure black nothingness – the two spirits that had once occupied the Millennium Items both took note of the darker black. The Shadow Realm had always been a dim place before but the Shadow Realm that they were in now was almost a midnight black. It was just pitch blackness.

Bakura made a growling sound from his throat as a white fang appeared over his lower lip. He nudged his head in the direction of his right and Marik followed his gaze. Red, hot fire cackled in the distance and the two Egyptians seethed at the sight.

It was an uncommon sight to see – there had never been fire in the Shadow Realm before. Where had this fire come from? The flames were not a common sight in the Shadows; the Shadow Realm never had anything like that before. There was definitely something wrong with the shadows.

"Diabound." Bakura called forth, raising his hand in front of him. A large, white snake-like body then appeared from underneath his hand as Diabound manifested itself from the ground. It rose up on its coils and bowed loyally to Bakura.

"Master." Diabound said, bowing his head even lower. "It is good to see you. What brings you to the Shadow Realm?" Diabound spoke; its voice was deep and melodic.

"My friend and I have come to the shadows to investigate. We witnessed a vision from the future and it did not look promising. Something befalls the Shadow Realm and we intend on finding out. Has anything seemed strange to you?" Bakura asked as he and Marik continued walking around the dark abyss. Diabound floated beside him.

"Nothing overly strange, my Master, the Shadow Realm is as it's always been." Diabound replied back gravely. "I have been here for centuries and it does not look any different. Nothing is out of the ordinary."

"What about the fire?" Marik challenged with a growl. "Fire is never seen in the Shadow Realm."

"Perhaps fire is a rare sight in the Shadows." Diabound responded back easily.

The blonde gritted his teeth at that and gripped his Millennium Rod harder before looking to the blacken skies. Clouds floated about and Marik's raised his Millennium Rod to the sky, "Winged Dragon of Ra! Come to your master!" He cried out. The black clouds wisped about as a loud, deafening shriek sounded throughout the air.

A large, golden talon appeared from within the clouds as more and more shrieks were heard. The Winged Dragon of Ra flapped its wings aggressively, opening its beak again to screech out its roar. Its sharp, white teeth glittered in the light that its body shown. The God flew to Marik and hovered above him, lowering its head in submission to its matter.

Marik hummed at seeing his beloved monster and placed a hand on the Winged Dragon of Ra's blue jeweled head. He rubbed a tanned hand on it and Bakura rolled his eyes at the affection Marik showed. It was obvious that Marik was very fond of his God. "How good it is to see you again, Ra. It has been far too long, my pet."

The great draconic phoenix chirped contently as it nuzzled against its master's touch. "It has been too long, Master. I have longed to hear your voice. Why is it that you have called me from the heavens?" it asked, pulling its head back.

Lilac eyes looked up at Ra and Marik nodded. "Something terrible will strike the Shadow Realm. Bakura and I are here to find out what it is that will plague the shadows. Have you experienced anything out of the ordinary?"

The God stretched out its wings and curled its talons. "Master Marik, I have flown these skies for many a millennia and I have not seen anything. I do feel that something is different; even Slifer and Obelisk feel a sort of eerie darkness in the Shadow Realm – more than usual. The other monsters in this realm however do not feel it; perhaps it is because of my being a God amongst them." It replied, loyally.

Bakura looked up at the draconic phoenix and raised a brow. "Don't you serve the Pharaoh?" he asked, hauntingly.

The yellow beast scoffed at him. "The Pharaoh may also call on me but my allegiance will always lie with Master Marik. He is the only one I will ever see as a suitable Master. The Pharaoh has his sky dragon!"

Marik and Bakura looked at each other and they both frowned. It seemed that they would need to spend more time here before coming up to a conclusion. Although there was no evidence of a drastic change other than the fire, they couldn't find anything truly threatening. The two were faced with two dilemmas: Diabound could be right in that fire was just a rare sight and it didn't mean anything or they and Ra were right in the way that something did seem wrong and different.

"We need more time." Diabound spoke up, curling its snake-like body slightly. It turned its great, gray head towards Bakura and bowed once more. "Shall I get Dark Necrofear? Perhaps she will be of more help."

The Thief King shook his head in response. "Not yet, I dare not risk bringing more attention to ourselves. If something evil is here, I expect that we should not cause any attention. I'm sure that Marik's Ra will bring some sort of attention but hopefully the other monsters will just consider the God making its daily rounds."

"That is what you do, correct?" Marik asked his Winged Dragon of Ra. The great beast nodded its head in affirmation. Marik then frowned and gripped the Millennium Rod higher. "Bakura," he called. "We must make haste, let us continue our search. We must come back with something."

Bakura nodded. "Yes, you are right. It will put the others somewhat at ease." And with that, along with the aid of Diabound and the Winged Dragon of Ra, Marik and Bakura began searching deeper into the depths of the Shadow Realm. They needed to cover a lot of ground and they were determined to find something that would help put their friends at ease; they just had to find something!

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><p>Author's Note: Can I just say that I really hated writing this chapter? Like really, really hated it. I thought it was such a horrible chapter to write. Plus I feel like it was very Bronzeshipping-centric and not so much anything else. I suppose I wanted to get more plot into work but there was some interactions between the shippings so that's always something good right? I'm sick today :( I only wrote about 6k words when I first opened this today and I really grinded my ass to finish the chapter because I didn't want to make you all wait too long to read the next chapter.<p>

(1) Irtyu is apparently a Blue Goddess in Egypt? I'm sure I'm wrong; I just googled something random. Aoi is Japanese for blue and of course Kisara is the name of the girl who firstly had the spirit of the Blue Eyes White Dragon within her. Creative, right? Wrong. Just lame.

(2) Akai is black in Japanese. An appropriate name for Jou's Red Eyes Black Dragon don't you think? Not very creative, I know. The reason for Jou and Seto having personal names with their Duel Spirits is that in the two years they've been together, they've been able to have closer relationships with BEWD and REBD. I also feel like if any other character named their Duel Spirits (other than Yugi and Yami's Mahado and Mana) it would just seem really weird. Like Bakura and Marik naming Diabound and the Winged Dragon of Ra? How weird, the other characters will just keep their monsters' names.

**Please remember to Read and Review! Reviews make me a happy girl! Plus it makes me want to write more and you all love that don't you? Reviews are great motivators! I have 44 reviews so far! :) Help me past the 50 mark, please? **

Final Words: 10k  
>Final Characters: 48k<br>Final Pages: 15


	6. Resurrection

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-go-oh! or its characters

Chapter: 6 "**Resurrection**"

Author's Notes: Thank you to the people who reviewed! It meant a lot to me seeing the reviews. And I'm quite happy about passing the 50 mark though I still wish more people would review – it gives me a sense of pride as a writer. But I write to entertain as always, not fuel my ego. Anyway, I'm sorry for the long delay in writing this chapter, I've been really busy. I had midterms all last week and haven't been able to write a single word. I think I have for 1200 hits too this story and about like 52 reviews? Something like that. Anyway, enjoy my friends.

**Foxluna**: Oh yeah, there's no doubt about that. I know Ra serves both Marik and Malik but I felt that in my story I needed to have each person with one monster; I didn't want to have them both have Ra because I feel like it might be a little weird with the plot! But you are right in that Ra would serve both :) I'm in the process of making names for the others lol, maybe they'll all grow close enough to get names!

**RyouandBakuraforever**: Hello friend! As always, I love your lengthy reviews. Oh, that is a lot of chemistry homework! I'm glad that my update helped you hahaha :) Is it just me or is Ryou sexy when he drops the F bomb? I love writing Bakura/Ryou and Marik/Malik the most :) You made me blush when you said I was your official favorite puzzleshipping writer :) That's so sweet of you! The Shadow Realm was always so cool in the Yu-gi-oh! universe and I really wanted to incorporate that into my story. This is me hugging you super tight, I adore you.

**Crazyhikari**: You're cute and I adore you :) Thank you for your kind words!

**Puffin**: Thank you! I felt a lot better the next day after drinking lots and lots of Nyquil hahaha, that stuff is pretty strong! O_O

I would also like to thank **Lhaine** for correcting me last chapter. "Akai" is the japanese word for red and "Kuro" is the name for black. My fault! At least the name still works out for Jou's Red Eyes lol. Another reason why this chapter took so long to write was because I had to figure out some sort of intelligent concept for this chapter as well as do some research, hopefully it works out.

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><p>Several weeks had passed since Marik and Bakura had journeyed to the Shadow Realm and honestly, they hadn't been able to find anything in the Shadow Realm. Although the two Egyptians had made several more journeys to the dark abyss, they weren't able to find anything. It was beginning to frustrate them.<p>

Hoping to ease the tensions off their shoulders, everyone else did their part to help in search of the mysterious prophecy. Frustrations only came forth from it as no one could really find anything.

Isis and Rishid were away at another Egyptian archaeological site, wanting to uncover more artifacts for her museum exhibit as well as any evidence that would help their brother and their friends. She had sent digital still pictures of other rocks that her archaeologists had managed to dig up. The rocks had Egyptian texts littered all over its hard surface. The only downside was that the rocks were all separated and broken into several pieces so it was impossible to see where the text began and ended. But, it was still helpful, possibly.

Kaiba and Jou spent many long hours in front of their respective computer screens with Jou compiling different pictures of the giant rocks from Isis' exhibit for Kaiba to analyze. The brunette would sit in his leather chair with his chin resting on clasped hands while wise, sapphire eyes darted about. Kaiba scanned the Egyptian text thoroughly and irritably as he was unable to find anything that would point them to a prophecy. Jounouchi was also beginning to feel frustrated since he could not do much to help. He would often however stand behind his lover's chair and massage Kaiba's stiff shoulders in his own way of helping. The blonde knew that his blue-eyed lover felt immense stress; Kaiba wanted to badly protect Jou and his friends and so he spent many sleepless nights researching his findings. How heartbreaking it was to Kaiba when he found out that all his efforts were useless – he just couldn't find anything.

Yugi would accompany Jou on his travels to the museum and help the blonde in taking documented pictures of the Egyptian texts. Isis had even taken the pair underneath the museum where the most sacred of Egyptian artifacts laid hidden but still, to no avail. The King of Games also sought out help from his grandfather about his travels to Egypt many years ago but alas, his attempts were in vain. Yugi just couldn't find anything that would help him and his friends.

Yami would also disappear into the endless chambers of his mind in order to search his memories for anything he had overlooked during his reign as Pharaoh. Yugi would often find his other self locked away in his soul room, arms crossed and back straight as his hard, crimson eyes watched the memories of his life. Again, nothing could be found. Yami would look at his light with sad eyes and Yugi could only shrug his shoulders before enveloping the taller man in his arms.

Ryou spent many hours in front of his sketchbook and canvas as he dedicated much of his time to recreating the vision through his detailed art. He felt that the visual art would help the others remember in what they had all saw – though no one could ever forget the horrific vision even if they tried. The white haired boy would paint the blackness of the Shadow Realm and chokingly the dark versions of himself, Malik, Jou and Yugi. He recreated portraits of all four of them with their respective monsters behind them: Yugi and his Dark Magician, he and his Change of Heart, Jounouchi and his Red Eyes Black Dragon, and Malik with his Lava Golem.

Bakura could only watch his light in silence, knowing that although he did not say much, Ryou found his presence comforting. At times, Ryou would let out a soft sigh, his paintbrush or pencil dropping from his hand. It seemed that Ryou lost faith in what he was doing. The Thief King would then lean down, pick up the discarded artistic utensil, press a chaste kiss on Ryou's wrist, right at the boy's pulse point, and hand back the fallen object before waiting silently. It was the small, almost miniscule things that Bakura did that kept Ryou going.

As Malik spent most of his time reading, he made sure to check out a number of books in his university's library on anything Egyptian. During his study hours when he didn't have another class for a certain amount of time, he would have books piled up all around him. His lavender eyes scanned the various texts, desperately hoping he would find something to bring back to his friends; any sort of information that he could find would be useful. Marik would stand guard behind him with his arms crossed and although his eyes and expression looked passive, Malik knew Marik was paying extra close attention to his surroundings. His dark blonde counterpart was overly protective and would glare at anyone that as much took a look at Malik. Malik would only smile sheepishly at the terrified person before said person ran quickly away, obviously wanting to be away from Marik's terrifying presence.

Several weeks passed and still nothing.

Presently, it was now a Saturday morning. Kaiba, Marik, Ryou, Bakura, Malik, Yugi, Jou and Yami all were scattered about the main living room of Kaiba's Mansion. Yugi was on his back on the floor with his head resting on Jou's knees while the blonde had his arms crossed and tucked behind his head as he leaned back against Kaiba's legs. Kaiba was sitting on the leather armchair, a black laptop in his lap as he continued his research. The only sound audible was the sound of Kaiba's typing fingers. The Pharaoh stood somewhat apart from the group and was looking out the window with his arms crossed, his expression looked stern. Yami looked deeply troubled.

Marik was lying on the couch with his head in Malik's lap. The overly spiky haired blonde looked passive as he looked up into the identical eyes, similar to his own. Marik's counterpart smiled tightly as he ran his tan fingers through Marik's hair; Malik knew his darkness' feeling of failure and so he comforted Marik by caressing his hair affectionately. Ryou sat beside Malik on the arm of the couch, his head resting on Malik's shoulder while Bakura stood protectively behind him, his arms crossed and expression stern just like Yami.

Jou was the first to break the silence. "How's it going, Seto?" he asked, warily. He felt Yugi shift below him and he raised a hand to ruffle his best friend's hair affectionately. His eyes smiled at Yugi before turning back to his boyfriend. "Seto?" Jou asked when he didn't receive a response.

"I think…but I'm not sure." Kaiba trailed off, rubbing his right temple quickly before typing more furiously than before. He involuntarily leaned his face closer to his laptop screen as his blue eyes darted about: left, right, left, right, pause, left, right, and then left again. "I compiled some information from Isis' dig site and I noticed something rather odd. Like these strange symbols; they were in the most random of places." Kaiba then reached behind him for a master remote control and clicked a blue button.

The other boys saved for Jou watched in awe as Kaiba's entertainment system all pulled apart and a large, viewing screen unraveled itself from Kaiba's ceiling. Now interested, Yami walked over to join the rest of the group and they all watched. Kaiba's screen then unrolled all the way down, revealing a white screen and Kaiba snapped his fingers. His laptop then automatically projected his laptop screen on the bigger view screen so that all his friends could see. It must have been wirelessly connected and reactive to sound. Kaiba was too high-tech for his own good sometimes…

The brunette carefully got up once he set his laptop down so that Jou wouldn't hit his head on the couch's edge. He then stood up, making sure to step around Yugi, and walked towards the screen. The screen showed a series of pictures that Kaiba had up of the various rocks he had been analyzing, all littered with Egyptian texts and symbols.

He cleared his throat before opening his mouth to speak. "Notice in all of these pictures that everything is broken up. Here," he said, pointing out broken off fragments with his thin pointer finger, "Everything is fragmented so it's safe to assume that in this picture, the text is not completed for we do not know the ending or the beginning of these texts." He touched a finger to the screen and pinched his thumb and pointer finger together before spreading them out and as he did that, the picture on the screen widened so that a section of it could be zoomed in. Of course Kaiba would have a touch-screen on something as simple as a projector screen…

"I want everyone to pay attention to this. What does it look like? Anyone?" Kaiba asked, turning his attention towards his friends. The symbol was round with pointed spikes all around.

Jou raised his hand as if he forgot that he wasn't in school. There was no need for him to raise his hand but he seemed to have forgotten that. Honey brown eyes watched as blue eyes connected with his and they rolled in annoyance before its owner shook his head. The blonde looked around him at his friends and saw that they all looked somewhat amused. Jounouchi laughed, rubbing the back of his head before looking up at his lover. "It looks like the sun." he replied.

Seto nodded, "Correct. I'm not positive but this sun here on the text could represent Ra." He suggested, now looking towards Marik. It was understandable, The Winged Dragon of Ra was Marik's most prized monster; he was extremely fond of the gold, draconic phoenix. "So Marik, try talking to Ra the next time you go into the Shadow Realm."

The spirit that had once dwelled within the Millennium Rod nodded gravely and Marik involuntarily rubbed his cheek against Malik's thigh. Malik smiled at his darkness' movements as he caressed Marik's other cheek with the back of his fingers. "I will, I only hope that Ra can aid us and guide us in the right path."

Kaiba then pulled up another picture of a rock with a symbol circled at the lower right. He looked at his friends from the corner of his eyes, "I've already figured this one out. This symbol here represents Shadow, the place in which a soul resides. I'm assuming that refers to the Shadow Realm."

No one replied for they all were in agreement.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Kaiba mentioned. He pointed a finger to a part within the Egyptian text. "This is Red in Egyptian; it symbolizes victory in the eyes of Egyptians as they would paint themselves red during times of war."

The brunette turned back to the projector screen and swiped at the screen so that another picture popped up. He zoomed in on another part of the rock and turned towards his friends. The symbol was a small but horizontal straight line. "This, to me, looks like a hyphen of some sort or some ancient mathematically looking Ray."

Yugi shook his head, the back of his head rubbing against Jounochi's knees. "I don't think so Seto. A Ray would need a point on the end and it would have to have arrows signifying infinity towards one direction; that line doesn't have an arrow or point for that matter."

Kaiba shrugged in response.

Ryou let out a hum as he picked his head off Malik's shoulder briefly before resting back on it again. "I think it represents a negative sign. Or maybe we're all over thinking it and it really is just a line. It could mean continuity, symbolize a mark, or just some sort of border. Though, I do think it's a negative or minus sign though."

"We did have an advance mathematics system for our time but I don't think we ever had something to represent a negative before." Yami replied, thoughtfully.

The CEO hummed before turning back to the screen. He paused before his eyes sharpened and Kaiba pulled up another picture with a quick flick of his finger. A new picture popped up and it was a picture of a rock from Isis's underground artifact files. "What mindfucks me is this." He told them, gesturing to the precise slash marks on the rock. "Although it's unlikely, this series of marks right here," he pointed towards the top left of the rock, "It reminds me of a modern word because it almost looks like the Kanji for 'Energy'. See how there's a horizontal line here and here and then also here?"

Yugi then let out a gasp that startled everyone. "Seiryoku (1)! The Kanji for 'Energy'! I think you two are both right! I think if we joined together both Seto and Ryou's ideas, it would translate to 'Negative energy'!"

Everyone's face lit up at that, it made sense! Kaiba hurried to make a note on his laptop and he smirked at how things were finally progressing. He then remembered the rest of the findings he found and he groaned inwardly, knowing that there was still more to discover and figure out. "Let's move on then." Blue eyes looked determined as Kaiba pulled up the next picture. "Everyone, this symbol here is-"

"Seven." Bakura, Marik, and Yami all replied. They had all recognized the Egyptian numeral of seven though they were not sure how it applied to their situation. Marik cleared his throat so that he could be the one to speak.

"Seven is the Egyptian symbol to represent ideas such as perfection, effectiveness and completeness." Marik answered before closing his eyes. "But I do not know what the number seven could mean to us in terms of what it symbolizes in Egyptian culture."

"Perhaps it alludes to the fourteen pieces of Osiris, seven for both the upper and lower parts of Egypt." Bakura suggested, running his fingers through Ryou's hair out of habit.

"It could represent Gold or the Pool idea of water." Yami added.

Malik blinked before he let out an annoyed curse. "How could I have overlooked it? It's the Millennium Items of course. There are seven after all: the Puzzle, Rod, Ring, Scales, Eye, Necklace, and Key. And this idea of a number seven meaning Gold would only confirm it since the Millennium Items are all made of gold."

/ / _And __my __people_/ / Bakura said bitterly into Ryou's head.

The white haired boy's expression softened considerably as he looked up into Bakura's pastel blue eyes. Ryou then rubbed at Bakura's scar and smiled tightly in a way to comfort his darkness. The Thief King leaned closer to Ryou's touch, closing his eyes briefly before standing up straighter. "Malik makes a valid point; it must be the seven Millennium Items."

Kaiba made another note before pulling up another picture. He pointed to the center of the rock and a small symbol stood out amongst the Egyptian text. It looked like an axe in the way that the symbol had a long, vertical hilt with two curved ends at the top. "I thought this was some sort of ancient Egyptian Axe."

Everyone stared long and hard but no one said anything, all focused and determined to find out the truth behind the symbol. Marik picked his head off of Malik's lap and sat up straight, ignoring the small whine Malik made in his mind. Lavender eyes squinted before Marik reached behind him and pulled out his Millennium Rod.

"What are you doing, Tomb Keeper?" Bakura asked.

Marik hadn't replied, he only held up the gold Millennium Item up to the screen so that he could compare the images of his Millennium Rod and the axe on the screen. "Of course; how inattentive of me." Marik mused. He lowered his arms and twirled the Rod with his fingers. "It's not an axe, Kaiba. That symbol represents the Millennium Rod." He traced the different parts of the golden item, pointing out to his friends the similarities between the two.

"Marik is right, that symbol must represent the Millennium Rod." Yami agreed, with a nod of his head. He moved to sit beside his light and Yugi automatically moved so that he was now leaning against Yami's side.

The brunette matched the Pharaoh's nod with his own, making another note. He then pulled up a picture of a large rock. In the center of the text, there was an image of a black dog as well as a pyramid beneath it. Yami crossed his arms again. "That doesn't help, a pyramid is generally important in Egyptian culture. It could represent a King or prized possessions."

Yugi's amethyst eyes turned towards Yami as he listened to his other self speak. The King of Games tilted his head to the side as his eyes focused on Yami's chest. A few seconds passed before Yugi let out some sort of uncharacteristic yelp. "The pyramid represents the Millennium Puzzle!" The petite boy cried out.

The spirits that had all once occupied the Millennium Items visibly paled. Yami, Bakura and Marik all simultaneously turned towards each other. Light blue met crimson, crimson met lavender, and light blue met lavender. It suddenly all made sense.

"The black dog is a jackal. It generally represents Anubis, the God of Death, Afterlife and Embalmment." Yami said darkly as he reached over his side to pull Yugi closer to him. He knew of the dangers that Anubis could evoke – he had after all had the god sealed away long ago during his reign so that dangers would be avoided.

"What does this all mean?" Bakura bitterly asked as he too placed a protective hand on Ryou's shoulder. The white haired boy remained silently as he reached up and placed his hand over Bakura's tanned one.

"I can assure you nothing but the worst." Marik growled out. Malik looked at his darkness and frowned, reaching forward to intertwine his fingers with Marik's. The psychology major brought their holding hands together and kissed Marik's hand in an attempt to calm his angry other self down. After a few seconds, Marik let out an annoyed growl but ultimately did tense down.

"I locked Anubis away many years ago; there is no way that he could reappear." Yami told them. Everyone fell silent as each and every one of their minds whirled with the thoughts of what the symbols all meant as a whole.

The Thief King frowned as he turned his attention back to the projector screen. The screen showed each of the rocks they identified and light blue eyes grew furious. "It's not the Sun." Bakura pulled out his Millennium Ring from within his robes and looked down at it with other eyes joining in. "The spikes along the circle represent the ringlets of my Millennium Ring." He said; this tone unsympathetic and unyielding.

Kaiba closed his eyes in concentration as he tried to piece together all of the symbols in his head. He was intelligent, he and everyone knew that. He needed to be the one to solve this mystery – he was the only one who could. Kaiba's brilliant mind whirled with different theories and it was not for a few minutes until he came up with a logical explanation. He solemnly opened his eyes and faced his friends with hard, sapphire eyes. "I know what it all means now. First, let's go over what we all came with. The Sun, Axe, and Pyramid all represent the Millennium Ring, Rod, and Puzzle. The Shadow represents the Shadow Realm; a place where a soul resides. Red signifies Victory. The number Seven refers to the seven Millennium Items while both the negative sign and Seiryoku Kanji for 'Energy' implies 'Negative Energy'. And lastly, the black Jackal represents Anubis, the God of the Dead."

Everyone nodded in their understanding, waiting for the rest of Kaiba's words.

"Based on all of this, I've concluded that Anubis has somehow been resurrected and/or has somehow reappeared and I feel that this due to some sort of negative energy. He is residing or has resided in the Shadow Realm and we can determine that because of the meaning for the Egyptian idea of Shadow. The implication of Anubis standing above the pyramid is that he seeks to take the power of the Millennium Puzzle as the Puzzle ultimately belongs to the Pharaoh of Egypt. I mean to say that by him standing over top of the Puzzle, it suggests that Anubis aims to be King himself by taking over the current King. The Seven Millennium Items may be his reason for wanting to be King; it must be that he wants the power. The idea of Red refers to the fact that he may win or he is aiming to win."

"We unfortunately won't know for sure at the moment but Kaiba, I feel that what you have told us might possibly be the ultimate premise for the prophecy. It seems logical; we did after all witness a vision in the Shadow Realm." Yami agreed, nodding his head in understanding. "I do feel that we need to spend more time on this issue before we dive into specifics for we do not know all the facts we need to know."

"Do you think one of our enemies resurrected Anubis?" Yugi spoke up, looking around the room. "Perhaps it our enemies' negative energy that caused them to want to revive Anubis or maybe Anubis fed on their energy and revived himself. Maybe we should go over all the people?" He suggested with a raised brow.

"For me, I guess I would say Amelda, Noah, Gozaburo, Dartz, and probably even Mask of Light and Darkness (2)." Kaiba shrugged, indifferently. "And I suppose that it was once Bakura, Marik and Malik." He added but he said it almost teasingly – almost.

Said people shrugged also.

"I'm not sure for me. I mean Valon and I had bad blood but that was because he thought Mai and I had a relationship which of course never happened. I had a rivalry with Dinosaur Ryuzaki but I doubt that he would get himself into something like this. I would probably add Dartz too." Jounouchi replied.

"Akhenaden, Zorc, Marik and the Pharaoh." Bakura replied, running a hand through his long gray hair.

"The Pharaoh, the Tomb Robber, Jou, and Kaiba." Marik said impassively.

Yugi took a breath, knowing his list would be long, sharing a look with Yami as they both had the same and common enemies. "My enemies were Bakura, Marik, Malik, the Ghouls, Seeker, Pandora, Pantomimer, the Masks of Light and Darkness (2), Rafael, Dartz, Zorc and Akhenaden." Yami could only nod in response as Yugi ultimately spoke for him as well.

"Just the Pharaoh and Yugi." Malik quietly said, still a little ashamed of himself for what he had put his friends through. He looked up at the faces of his friends and saw that they smiled in response, they had all forgiven him many years ago. Marik rubbed his thumb over Malik's hand, nodding his head slightly.

"Just Bakura." Ryou said softly, smiling shyly when his darkness winked at him. He then turned towards his friends. "But I feel as though none of them are behind any of this, maybe it's just something else." He offered. They all grew quiet until Malik spoke again.

"Where does negative energy come from?" Malik suddenly asked himself but aloud.

"Negative energy stems forth from negative emotions such as hate, pain, anger, and fear." Marik answered, glancing at his other self briefly before looking back towards the rest of the group. "But I wonder; how is negative energy a factor in all this?"

Jou snapped his fingers in order to get everyone's attention. "Could it be that the negative energies came from each of your Millennium Items and it resurrected Anubis? The Millennium Items could have stored any negative or evil energy that was felt and generated! Bakura, it could have been when you united with Zorc, Marik it could have been when you tried to kill Yami during Battle City in order to become Pharaoh, and Yami, perhaps it was when you played the Seal of Orichacos." Jou wisely offered. He watched with sympathetic eyes as Yami, Bakura, and Marik all turned away guilty. "If this is true anyway, it's still a stretch, we know of three connections to Anubis. The only problem is we still don't know the remaining five."

If all this negative energy did come from them during their time occupying their respective Millennium Items, they needed to fix it. The ancient Egyptians then turned towards one another and nodded in unison; they then understood that if they did bring forth this evil, they needed to defeat it together to repent.

"Bakura, I think it is time we paid another visit to the Shadow Realm." Marik wisely told the Tomb Robber once their eyes connected. At Bakura's agreeing nod, Marik made a move to stand up but Malik stopped him by grabbing his forearm. The overly spiky haired blonde looked down at his other self with a raised brow. They remained like that, neither of the two saying anything before Marik pulled Malik up by the waist and brought the boy to his chest. They embraced silently; Marik inhaled Malik's lavender scent as Malik burrowed his face in the crook of Marik's neck. "I will be home soon, little one, do not fret. Be strong for me."

Ryou looked at his darkness sadly and went to go rub Bakura's scarred cheek but then the Thief King captured the white haired boy's hand with both of his tanned ones. Bakura then brought Ryou's hand close to lips and kissed the creamy white skin affectionately. The painter heard Bakura's pained sigh in his head once Bakura had let go and ultimately nodded his head at Marik again, signifying that it was it was time for them to go.

Grim looks were shared between the two Egyptians and with one last lingering look at their respective lights, they walked away towards the main hall so that Bakura could summon another portal. Malik and Ryou hugged each other tightly, both sadden at the thought of their darknesses leaving once again and they could only watch as the trail Marik's purple cloak and the tip of Bakura's red coat disappeared from sight.

Yami, Yugi, Kaiba, and Jou could only watch sympathetically, all knowing how painful it was to be separated from someone that they truly cared for. With a defeated look, Kaiba made another motion with his hand and the screen rolled up back to the ceiling and the projection from his laptop disappeared. Jounouchi got up from his sitting position on the floor and walked up to his boyfriend with a soft smile. He wrapped his arms around the taller boy in a loving embrace to which Kaiba returned full-heartedly. "At least we figured out what is going on or have a general idea." The brunette offered, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Yeah we did; you did great." Jounouchi said warmly, closing his eyes contently as he laid his head against Kaiba's strong chest. "We all did great." He corrected. "We all helped to figure it out. I think we have made a lot of progression this time so why not leave it alone for a bit? Let's find something else to do."

Yugi smiled at that. A newfound sense of hope was beginning to emerge. Looking around at his friends, his smile grew wider. "How about we have a study date, guys? We do have midterms soon." He wanted to change the subjected and what perfect way to do that than to study for exams?

Malik and Jou groaned inwardly at that, not wanting to spend a Saturday afternoon by studying. Yugi raised an amuse brow at that and Ryou simply giggled for he did not have any midterms for another month. Irritably, Jou, Malik and Yugi disappeared to get their books and they gathered on the floor, lying on their stomachs. Ryou sat on the couch while he did a playful sketch of his three friends sprawled out on the floor, noses buried in their books. Jounouchi was looking over his Macro Economics homework while Yugi looked over various programming forms and Malik studied his Psychology notes.

Kaiba and Yami were engaged in a friendly but competitive duel by Ryou's feet, the two had serious expressions on their faces as they dueled. Although Yami and Kaiba were friends, the two still had an intense rivalry that could never be matched by anyone else. So far, Kaiba seemed to have the upper hand but Yami was known for being an amazing comeback duelist.

It was obvious that the remaining six boys were attempting to distract themselves from the horrors of their discovered prophecy by busying themselves with studying and duels. Unfortunately, it was all they could do at the moment. All they could do now was wait for Marik and Bakura's return from the Shadow Realm.

* * *

><p>"What do you make of all this, Tomb Robber?" Marik asked, turning his head slightly so he could look at the gray haired man. The two were walking side by side as they journeyed throughout the Shadow Realm. The air felt colder than the last time they were here but neither commented about it.<p>

Bakura growled irritably. "I don't know and that bothers me greatly but Marik, Anubis is here, I just know it. I feel it somehow." Although they had made many trips into the Shadow Realm and were unable to find anything, Bakura felt that the darkness within the shadows felt more ominous than usual.

"How can you justify that? Even Kaiba said that Anubis may or may not be here. It's either he's here and we simply cannot detect him or he was here and is no longer here." Marik recited, his lavender eyes now looking ahead. Above him, the Winged Dragon of Ra hovered protectively. The golden beast looked ahead so that it could scout the land for its master and its red eyes darted from left to right. "Ra, have the other Gods noticed anything?"

The draconic phoenix chirped in reply. "The Tormentor has not left its post at our sacred home; I feel as though it wishes to be called though it will not answer to anyone but the Pharaoh or Kaiba. Obelisk has not aided me in my search however the Sky Dragon has; it flies the skies that I cannot."

Bakura clicked his tongue in an annoyed manner. "Diabound." He called, light blue eyes shifting to his right side as the snake god appeared from the ground. It rose up high on its white coiled tail and bowed loyally. "Have you found anything?"

It only shook its head. "No, Master, I have not."

Marik met Bakura's gaze and the two looked solemn. They had thought that they might be able to find further evidence to support their idea of the prophecy yet as always, they couldn't find anything. Bitterly, the two Egyptians walked on.

They walked for miles until suddenly, the sky darkened. Black clouds whirled and circled about and the Winged Dragon of Ra raised its great head to look up at the sky. Thunder cackled dangerously as yellow spikes flashed in the sky. "The Sky Dragon is coming." It announced.

Sure enough, a fierce roar thundered throughout the Shadow Realm and a large, blood red head appeared from the clouds. First, Slifer's large main jaws appeared followed by its second mouth and then lastly, its yellow eyes. Its long, serpent-like body began to uncoil itself as Slifer flew downwards to come and hover beside Ra. Upon seeing the Egyptian God, Diabound sunk down low and bowed in respect.

Marik crouched down on one leg and tucked his right arm to his chest as he bowed his head in utmost respect to the Egyptian God. He was known for studying the Egyptian Gods thoroughly and so he had nothing but great respect for the legendary beasts. Bakura merely inclined his head slightly as he in truth, did not particularly care for the God.

"Sky Dragon, why is it that you have come? Is the Pharaoh here?" Ra asked, flapping its wings rigorously causing massive and powerful gales of wind to wisp about. Piercing red eyes met yellow ones as Ra let out its deafening roar. "Why the silence, my old friend?" It asked.

"Dazzling Sun," Slifer said, referring to Ra by one of its many epithets, "I have come across something truly odd. I flew the eastern skies of the Shadows and I saw something that I did not expect to see."

"Well spit it out, already! We don't have all day!" Bakura shouted, looking up at the red dragon with fierce eyes. He was beginning to lose his patience; he was already incredibly frustrated from not having found anything during his time in the Shadow Realm and he was away from Ryou which only served to aggravate him more. The Thief King also had a particular distaste for Slifer the Sky Dragon as it had been the one to defeat him during the times of Battle City.

Marik turned his head to sharply glare at his friend. "I suggest you watch your tongue, Tomb Robber. It would be wise not to anger the Gods." He wisely suggested for he knew the harsh punishments that the Gods could evoke if angered. He recalled how his Ghouls as well as Rishid had all been struck down by Ra itself when they had tried to use a fake card to summon it; Ra saw it as the biggest insult and it was ultimately disrespectful.

Bakura only glared back. "We don't have time for this bullshit, Marik." Light blue eyes then turned upwards towards the hovering Gods and Bakura let a sharp fang slip past his lips. "Well?" He asked, savagely.

"Disrespectful, insolent fool!" Ra cursed, letting out an angry shriek. It made a move to attack Bakura but Marik looked up sharply at the Winged Dragon of Ra. Yellow met lavender and Marik's eyes tensed warningly. Ra scoffed but ultimately respected its master's wishes and began to stand down. "Foolish human." It swore again.

Slifer, however was not so forgiving. It raised its great head and opened its large mouth; glistening, white teeth in preparation for an attack. A glowing yellow ball began forming in its mouth and Bakura smirked upon seeing it. "Try and kill me, we'll see what how the Pharaoh reacts." He challenged.

Ra extended its wing in front of Slifer. "The fool is right, Master of Eternity, the Pharaoh would not be pleased. He does not condone violence." The draconic phoenix cautioned and Slifer let out a furious roar, causing the ground beneath Bakura and Marik's feet to quake.

"How unfortunate; it seems you will not die today." Slifer growled out, its yellow eyes glaring downwards at the gray haired man. "Disrespect the King of the Sky and Heavens again and I ensure you that you will not live to see the day."

Marik lowered his head even more. "I apologize on behalf of my comrade, my Master, he is as you say, a disrespectful fool." The blonde ignored the deadly glare that Bakura had shot his way and dared not to raise his head in Slifer's presence. Marik, after all, was very respectful towards the Gods he worshipped and obeyed as he had always been taught to behave accordingly in the presence of such Gods. "If I may, what are these strange things you have seen?"

Slifer lowered its head so it could take a closer look at Marik. The Sky Dragon knew of Ra's remaining loyalty to the spiky haired man and the man was very respectful – not at all like his petty thief of a friend. "You may rise." It firstly said.

Marik stood to his feet, eyes still casted downwards.

"During my daily rounds around the Shadow Realm, I encountered an odd sight in the eastern lands. As I flew high above the skies, my eyes did see something strange. By my eyes, I witnessed nine figures marching about in militia-like formation but then ultimately sporadic and random."

"How oxymoronic." Bakura mused.

"The figures looked like hybrids. They each had the leg and torso of Man but the head of a dog. They were all adorning a blue headdress with a billowing blue cape. Each warrior held yellow weapons in their hands." Slifer the Sky Dragon explained.

"The head of a dog?" Marik repeated, sharing a look with Bakura.

"Yes."

"My old friend, were these warriors Mystical Knights of Jackal? I have also seen them parading around in the western land – though I had not known that they now ventured into the east. What could this mean?" The draconic phoenix asked.

"It astounds me as well, Great Sun, perhaps we should discuss with the Tormentor, the Giant God may know information that we do not." The Heaven's God of Osiris suggested.

"It seems that is all we can do." Ra agreed.

"Marik." Bakura called, crossing his arms. Once he saw that he had Marik's attention, Bakura let out a slightly annoyed sigh. "We should go find these Mystical Knights the Gods speak of."

Marik shook his head. "Perhaps that is for another time, Bakura. I feel that we have already spent too much time in the Shadow Realm; don't you feel your strength depleting slightly? If we stay any longer, we'll fall weak and the darkness will consume us."

The Thief King let out another sigh though this time it sounded more defeated than annoyed. "You are right, let us take our leave."

Marik and Bakura bid their goodbyes to their monsters and Slifer the Sky Dragon before making another portal to the human world. The Winged Dragon of Ra promised its master that the next time they were to meet again it would have more information to tell. Marik nodded in a determined fashion before he and Bakura slipped into the portal and disappeared.

Ra watched as the portal closed up and it turned its great, golden head to Slifer. "Osiris, let us patrol the skies again but together this time. We need to help the Masters." Slifer could only nod in agreement and the two Egyptian Gods rose into the dark skies of the Shadow Realm in search for more things to discover.

* * *

><p>By the time that Bakura and Marik had returned back to Domino, it was already night time; they had been in the Shadow Realm longer than they had thought. The two Egyptians walked through the Main Hall of Kaiba's Mansion and walked into the living room. The books that Malik, Yugi and Jou were previously using were all lying open on the ground, forgotten as their owners were fast asleep. They were both surprised to see that Malik was slumped on the ground with his head in his arms as he slept peacefully. Ryou was lying on his stomach on the couch with one arm hanging off the side of the couch and Jounouchi was passed out on the floor, snoring noisily with his arms and legs spread out wide. Yugi was sleeping on his side and was curled up at Jou's side, his tri-colored hair mixed with Jou's blonde hair which created an interesting array of colors.<p>

Marik and Bakura continued looking and saw that Kaiba and Yami were still awake and they were sitting together, their heads bent together as they conversed quietly as to not wake the others. The two Egyptians made their way over to them and nodded in greeting.

"Were you able to find anything?" Yami asked, turning his body to face the two newcomers. He looked weary and tired, judging from the look in his eyes but it was understandable – it was after very late at night. Crimson eyes were met with two nods from Bakura and Marik. "What did you find out?"

"Apparently new monsters have appeared in the Shadow Realm called Mystical Knight of Jackal. Your Sky Dragon saw them marching about in the eastern lands while my Winged Dragon saw them in the west before." Marik replied, nodding again in affirmation.

"How strange." Yami answered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Was Obelisk there?" Kaiba asked, crossing his arms and legs. He was tired too but he and Yami knew that they needed to keep watch over the other four boys while Marik and Bakura were away.

Bakura shook his head. "Not this time but the other Egyptian Gods will meet with the Tormentor and together, they will all search for more conclusive evidence to this prophecy. I personally find it strange that these new monsters appeared at all."

They all paused as Jounouchi's loud snore broke through their conversation. The sound of Jou's snoring caused Kaiba to smile contently before he stood up, pinching the bride of his nose with his thumb and pointer finger. "In any case, it's late. Let's all go to bed and discuss this in the morning; we all deserve a good night's sleep. We made much progression today."

They all nodded in agreement before turning towards their respective partners. Kaiba gently nudged Jou's body with his foot and crouched down, running his hand through Jou's blonde locks. He only mewed in response, leaning closer to Kaiba's touch which elicited a chuckle from Kaiba's lips. "Come pup, time for bed."

Jounouchi sleepily opened his eyes and looked at Kaiba before they became half lidded and closed again. The brunette had then pulled Jou to his feet and wrapped an arm around Jou's waist to steady him and together, they walked out of the living room towards their private wing of the mansion.

Yugi let out a small whine from the lack of warmth that he felt since Jou left his side and the petite boy shivered, curling up tighter in his way to retain heat. Yami chuckled in response as he picked Yugi up and held him in his arms. The Pharaoh had hoisted Yugi up and balanced his weight on hips, almost as if he was carrying a young child. The King of Games in turn, wrapped his arms around Yami's neck and laid his cheek against his darkness' hair, sighing contently that he found a new source of warmth. The Egyptian sent a nod to both Bakura and Marik before disappearing out of sight in the direction of their bedroom.

Marik walked forward and stood in front of Malik's slumbering body. Lavender eyes looked downwards at his counterpart before a genuine smile graced his lips. Oh how he had missed Malik when they were apart. Bending his knees slightly, Marik leaned down and slipped his arms underneath Malik's form; one arm underneath his legs and then one arm under his back. Marik held the sleeping boy bridal-style and he watched amusingly as Malik cuddled closer to his darkness' warm chest.

"Sleep well, Tomb Keeper." Bakura said softly once Marik looked his way. Lavender eyes closed in thanks before opening again and Marik bowed in response.

"Sleep well, Tomb Robber." And with that, Marik disappeared out of the living room with Malik still sleeping peacefully in his arms.

Bakura crouched in front of Ryou's sleeping form and placed a hand on top of Ryou's head. The white haired boy let out a contented sigh as a small smile graced his lips; Ryou must have detected Bakura's presence. "Wake up, my light. It is time to go to bed." The Thief King whispered.

Ryou let out a soft mew and opened his eyes, his smile growing wider upon seeing Bakura. "I waited." He told his darkness happily, yawning slightly. Bakura smiled in response and turned around, his body still low and crouched to the ground. Ryou understood and slowly got up. He then fell forward onto Bakura's back gently and wrapped his arms around Bakura's neck. The Thief King stood to his full height and held Ryou's sleeping form upright by supporting the boy's weight from the back. Bakura then walked quietly to his and Ryou's room, fully intent on sleeping the troubles away.

* * *

><p><em>It was a typical, blistering day in Egypt and the Sun was high in the air, heating its inhabitants with its warm, radiating rays. A lone figure sat upon a golden throne with his strong, tan arms resting on each arm rest and the Pharaoh sat in silence. His dark, crimson eyes surveyed his surroundings, sweeping from his servants walking about to the golden treasures that littered his throne room. Suddenly, his servants began to disappear and his royal palace began to darken causing the Pharaoh to stand up alarmingly. He watched in wonderment as the image of his world began fading away until he was surrounded in complete, utter darkness. <em>

_As he breathed, he noticed his breath becoming visible which was bizarre on its own; surely he was still somewhere in Egypt? The great Pharaoh slowly walked forward in an attempt to explore his surroundings but no matter how far he thought he walked, he saw nothing but blackness. From the corner of his eye, he saw some sort of black mass dart away from him and a growl emitted from his throat. _

"_Show yourself!" The Pharaoh demanded. _

_Silence. Eerie, eerie, silence._

"_I demand you show yourself at once!" _

_Quiet. Eerie, eerie quietness. _

_By now, the Pharaoh's patience began to wane and thin. He did not have time for this! He was after all Pharaoh, the ruler over all of Egypt! He didnt enjoy having his time wasted by something or someone he couldn't see. "Where are you?" He tried again. _

_This time, laughter thundered all around him. Harsh, dark, laughter. "**I ****am ****everywhere**." A voice answered._

"_Tell me who you are!" The Pharaoh shouted, furiously. _

"_**I ****am ****everything**." The voice replied, unhelpfully._

"_What have you done to my kingdom?" _

"_**Rather, ****what ****have ****you ****done ****to ****your ****kingdom, ****Pharaoh? ****King ****Yami, ****the ****heir ****and ****successor ****to ****the ****Great ****Pharaoh ****Akhenamkhanen. ****You ****know ****of ****your ****father****'****s ****legacy, ****don****'****t ****you? ****He ****was ****a ****great ****king ****who ****loved ****all ****his ****people; ****peasant ****or ****noble.****" **_

"_My father was a great man! What does my father have to do with anything?" Yami asked, irritably. He was beginning to get violent; who would dare to kidnap the King of Egypt?_

"_**The ****previous ****Pharaoh ****knew ****not ****of ****darkness ****for ****he ****did ****not ****have any ****darkness ****in ****his ****heart. ****His ****heart ****was ****pure ****and ****light**** – ****not ****at ****all ****like ****yours, ****King ****Yami.****" **The voice taunted causing the Pharaoh to grit his teeth in anger. _

"_I could never be as great as my father but I can assure you that my heart is pure! I rule Egypt with the hearts of my people in mind!"_

_That harsh laughter boomed once again. "**You, ****a ****pure-hearted ****king? ****How ****amusing! ****You ****could ****never ****amount ****to ****your ****father! ****You ****crave ****power; ****you****'****ve ****always ****craved ****power. ****In ****the ****future, ****your ****ugly ****nature ****will ****present ****itself ****in ****the ****form ****of ****a ****seal. ****The ****Seal ****of ****Orichacos.****You ****will t****hen ****see ****the ****evil ****inside ****your ****heart.****" **_

_Yami was taken back because first and foremost, he had never even heard of such a seal but rather that this voice was accusing him of falling to the darkness. He was chosen to be Pharaoh because he would be a great ruler, one that would hold the interests of the people in his heart and he knew he had a pure, unwavering heart. "You lie." He replied back. __Then suddenly, a bright light flashed and Yami closed his eyes to avoid becoming blinded. When he opened them again, he no longer saw the black nothingness of before but now just a white, open space. He looked down at himself and saw himself in strange, blue garments. He raised his arms and looked at his hands, blinking confusingly at the creamy white color of his skin. "What in Ra's name is this?"_

"_**The ****future.**" The voice answered. **"****In ****time, ****you ****will ****be ****reborn ****back ****into ****this ****world ****where ****you ****will ****continue ****to ****face ****challenges ****that ****threaten ****the ****world. ****You ****won****'****t ****be ****alone, ****however. ****You ****will ****gain ****a ****partner; ****one ****that ****will ****stand ****beside ****you ****till the ****death.**"_

"_I don't understand," Yami said, his voice small, "What does this all mean?"_

"_**Many a ****millennia ****ago, ****you ****did ****battle ****against ****the ****strongest ****adversary ****of ****your ****time ****and ****upon ****defeating ****said ****opponent, ****you ****locked ****away ****its ****power ****so ****that ****it ****may ****never ****waken ****again. ****Naturally, ****you ****used ****up ****all ****your ****strength ****in ****doing ****so ****and ****became ****sealed ****within ****the ****Millennium ****Puzzle ****you ****now ****have ****around ****your ****neck.**"_

_Hearing that, the Pharaoh looked down at his chest and held the Millennium Puzzle in his hands. How odd, he was given this item upon his initiation as the new Pharaoh by his father; how could he have been sealed away in when he was standing right here?_

"_**Your ****future ****partner ****will ****play ****his ****part ****and ****unlock ****your ****spirit. ****You ****will ****be ****given ****new ****life ****in ****the ****form ****of ****your ****partner ****and ****together, ****you ****two ****will ****do ****battle ****against ****the ****world****'****s ****strongest ****of ****opponents. ****Of ****course, ****when ****yo u****roam ****free, ****another ****will ****also ****walk ****the ****land ****of ****the ****living.****"**_

"_I don't understand!" Yami cried out, desperately. The scenery around him began to fade out until he returned to the black nothingness that he was in before. He fell to his hands and knees, his eyes beginning to glaze over in panic. _

"_**You ****will ****be ****punished ****for ****your ****thirst ****for ****power. ****You ****are ****the ****Pharaoh ****and ****you ****used ****the ****Seal. ****How ****dare ****you ****embarrass ****your****father****'****s ****good ****name ****What ****an ****ungrateful ****son ****you ****are. ****You ****will ****be ****punished ****for ****this.****" **The voice repeated. _

_Yami looked up and let out a scream as the black mass appeared again, snapping its jaws right in front of his face. Its sharp, canines lodged themselves into his skin and the Pharaoh did his best to push off the black mass but it was too strong. _

"_**Punishment, ****you ****shall ****be ****punished****…**" the voice trailed off, the only sounds audible were the Pharaoh's dying and painful screams. _

Crimson eyes shot open and Yami sprung up into a sitting position. He looked around widely in a panicked state, his chest heaving as he let out labored breaths. A shaky tan hand reached up to his face and felt around. His breathing was still shallow and it only got worse when Yami pulled his hand back only to see it covered in blood; his blood. He could even feel the blood trailing down his face.

Yami's rapid movements stirred Yugi awake and the smaller boy sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes tiredly and fixed his other self with a sleepy gaze. He let out a yawn, opening his eyes slowly, obviously still drowsy. "Yami? What are you doing awake?"

The Pharaoh turned away from his light, not wanting the boy to see the blood running down his face. He quickly shielded his face from view, attempting to rub off the blood. "It's nothing Yugi, go back to sleep."

Yugi tilted his head slightly. "Did you have a nightmare?"

There was no response.

"What's wrong, other me?" Yugi asked, reaching forward to grab Yami's strong shoulder. The other man refused to turn around until Yugi grew impatient and used both his hands to spin his darkness around. Yami shut his eyes so that he would not see Yugi's reaction. "What's wrong?" Yugi asked again, confusingly.

"Do you not see it? Yugi, I'm bleeding!" Yami cried out.

"Bleeding?" Yugi asked again, his eyes squinting as he leaned his face closer. "What are you talking about? You're not bleeding."

A pair of crimson eyes opened and tan hand returned back to its owner's face. Yami was shocked speechless at the smoothness of his skin; he couldn't even feel the trailing of blood anymore! It felt so real to the Pharaoh and he just couldn't believe it. "I was bleeding…it was all over my hand." He said in a broken tone.

Amethyst eyes softened as Yugi fixed his other self with a sad look. "That must have been a bad nightmare. My darkness, come here." Yugi said, motioning with his head for Yami to come closer. The Pharaoh reluctantly obeyed and Yugi pulled the taller boy to his chest, cradling his head affectionately. "I'm here, it is okay now. Sleep, Pharaoh."

Yami wrapped his arms tightly around Yugi's waist, clinging to him in need. What he had experienced in his dream was so vivid and real that he couldn't even explain what had just happened to him. Yugi pressed a soft kiss to Yami's yellow spikes, hummed softly, and waited for Yami to fall asleep. In time, the Pharaoh did and Yugi followed suit. He would just have to ask him about it in the morning.

* * *

><p><em>Kaiba slept quietly on his side, his chest rising and falling with every breath he took. He slept in peace, enjoying the soft feeling of his matrass under his body and the overall comfort he felt from sleeping beside his lover. Knowing that he shouldn't stay in bed any longer, Kaiba regrettably opened his eyes. The bright light let in from the opened window made him groan as his blue eyes were not yet adjusted to the offending light. After a few minutes, he turned over, a smile on his face as he saw the slumbering body beside him.<em>

"_Good morning, puppy." He greeted, placing a hand on his lover's shoulder. Kaiba then blinked, the shoulder of his lover seemed thinner than usual, almost slender. Tilting his head slightly in confusion, he ran his thumb along the thin shoulder, making a move to remove the blanket from his lover's body when suddenly movement occurred. _

_A soft sigh was heard as Kaiba's lover turned in their sleep, the blanket falling down to reveal long, silver hair. His hand shot back and his eyes grew wide; who was this stranger in his bed? "Who the hell are you? Where's Katsuya?" Kaiba shouted, moving quickly away from the stranger sharing his bed. _

_His loud voice roused the other away and the figure opened its eyes slowly, revealing sparkling sapphire eyes. "Seto? Seto, what's wrong?" The person asked the individual's voice light and high-pitched. As the person reached up to tuck their hair behind their ear, Kaiba gasped, backing away even more. He practically jumped out of bed by this point. _

"_Kisara?" Kaiba yelled in disbelief._

_Sure enough, the woman that had once housed the spirit of the Blue Eyes White Dragon was lying in his bed. The woman that his past self had loved and adored till she had died was lying in his bed, blinking as if she was confused as to why he was asking. Kisara fixed Kaiba with a wondering look as she sat up, her head tilted slightly. "Of course it is me, who would it be?" she asked. _

"_This isn't how it's supposed to be! Where is Jou? Jou? Jounouchi!" He began to scream frantically, looking around his room. He must have been dreaming; why else would Kisara be here? She was alive thousands of years ago! His blue eyes looked about the room in a panicked fashion and it paled him when he discovered that his room looked exactly as it did when he shared it with Jou. _

"_Jou? Who is that?" Kisara questioned, resting her elbows on her knees, her expression playful. Her lover must have been having one of his moments again. _

_Kaiba took another step back. "Katsuya Jounouchi! He's blonde, stupid and the love of my life!" _

_The silver haired beauty raised an amused brow as she shrugged her shoulders, smiling. Seto definitely must have been having one of his moments. "You're being funny today, Seto! Did you forget?" She asked as her smile widened. "I'm the love of your life! Or did you not mean it when you asked me to marry you?" She asked, happily. She purposely tucked another lock of hair behind her ear with her left hand, showing Kaiba the sparkling diamond engagement ring on her left finger. _

"_This is a dream! This is a dream!" He told himself out loud as he took his pounding head in his hands. It must have been a dream! There is absolutely no way that he could possibly be engaged to someone who was dead! The brunette looked up alarmingly once he saw Kisara walk towards him from the corner of his eyes, "Get away from me!" _

_Kisara halted, looking at him with a pained expression. "Seto? It's me, Kisara. Are you alright? This façade has gone on longer than I can handle." She made another move to walk towards him but Kaiba only backed away. _

"_Fuck, get away from me! You're not supposed to exist!" Kaiba swore, shutting his eyes so he couldn't see the figure of the woman his past self loved. Unknown to him, the lush scene of his room began to dim until Kaiba was standing in a dark, black space. Once he stopped hearing her voice, the blue eyed man opened his eyes and was shocked that he was no longer in his room. Wherever he was, it looked endless. _

"_**What****'****s ****wrong, ****Kaiba? ****Kisara ****was ****always ****the ****one ****you ****loved.****"** A voice mocked causing the brunette to glare hatefully in the direction he thought the voice came from. "**At ****least, ****that ****is ****what ****your ****father ****told ****me.**" The voice chuckled darkly. _

_Upon hearing a reference to his father, Kaiba grew more furious. "You dare to bring up my stepfather to me? Gozaburo Kaiba was not my father! He never was and will never be!" _

"_**Foolish ****human! ****Akhenaden ****was ****your ****father! ****He ****was ****one ****of ****the ****six ****priests ****that ****guarded ****the ****Pharaoh; ****the ****keeper ****of ****the ****Millennium ****Eye.****"**_

"_What does that have to do with me? He was my past self's father, not my own." _

"_**That ****man ****betrayed ****me! ****He ****is ****nothing ****but ****full ****of ****lies ****and ****distrust! ****He ****told ****me ****he ****would ****construct ****a ****Millennium ****Item ****that ****would ****rival ****that ****of ****the ****Pharaoh****'****s ****so ****that ****I ****may ****rule ****over ****Egypt ****but h****e ****betrayed ****me! ****He ****stole ****the ****item ****in ****order ****to ****entrust ****it ****to ****you!****" **The voice yelled and the sound boomed throughout the darkness. _

"_Yeah, I apologize on behalf of my past-self's father." Kaiba muttered sarcastically with a roll of his eyes. _

"_**You ****find ****this ****amusing?****" **The voice roared angrily to which Kaiba merely smirked in response. **"****Tell ****me ****Kaiba, ****do ****you ****know ****how ****a ****Millennium ****Item ****is ****constructed?****" **Before Kaiba could retort with another smartass comment, the voice spoke again. "**Yes, ****it ****is ****by ****harvesting**** a ****soul ****in ****order ****to ****gain ****its ****life ****and ****energy. ****Of ****course, ****the ****village ****of ****Kul ****Ena ****was ****used ****in ****the ****production ****of ****the ****Millennium ****Items ****but ****for ****my ****item, ****only ****one ****soul ****was ****needed.****"**_

"_Cool story, continue. Please." Kaiba added the last word with a bored expression. _

"_**I****'****m ****quite ****sure ****you****'****ll ****love ****this ****part**." The voice sneered as the scenery changed once again. This time it showed a village on the outskirts of Egypt, set apart from the main city by many miles. People walked about minding their own business setting up shop or conversing good-naturally. **"****I ****suggest ****you ****pay ****close ****attention ****to ****this.****"**_

_Kaiba didn't reply and only frowned smugly. _

"_**This ****is ****the ****village ****of ****Kem. ****It****'****s ****a ****quiet ****town ****with ****virtually ****no ****crimes ****or ****conflict ****with ****a ****small, ****feeble ****population.****" **The voice introduced and then scene changed again. This time, the village was barren with fire burning everywhere but everyone seemed to be unaffected that is, except for one person. "**Are ****you ****paying ****attention, ****Kaiba?****"**_

_What Kaiba saw was an unfortunate peasant, chained and battered as he made some struggles against the bindings on his wrists. The peasant was male, with dirty blonde hair and was looking downwards. Kaiba only frowned further at the peasant's tatty rags. "What does this have to do with me?" His eyes focused on the peasant's mouth and saw that although his lips were moving, he wasn't making any sound. _

"_**You ****will ****see ****that ****this ****has ****everything ****to ****do ****with ****you. ****Do ****you ****see ****this ****boy ****here? ****This ****boy ****would ****become ****the ****sacrifice ****to ****make ****my ****Millennium ****Item ****for ****he ****had ****the ****purest ****of ****heart. ****The ****Pharaoh****'****s ****item ****was ****made ****from ****the ****souls ****of ****the ****damned ****and ****so ****my ****item ****would ****need ****to ****rival ****it ****in ****the ****way ****that ****they ****were ****opposite ****forces.****" **_

_The peasant raised his head and looked at everything but then also nothing in particular. His honey eyes were glazed over as if he was at the brink of his life and his body was alive though not his mind. A bolt of lightning seemed to surge through Kaiba for he made a mad dash forward, eyes wide with concern. "That's impossible – it's Jounouchi!" Kaiba cried out in distress from seeing his love's lifeless body. _

"_**This ****is ****Jono, ****Katsuya ****Jounouchi****'****s ****past ****self. ****In ****order ****to ****create ****my ****Millennium ****Item, ****he ****needed ****to ****be****sacrificed. ****Of ****course, ****your ****father ****was ****the ****one ****to ****select ****him. ****It ****is ****quite ****ironic, ****don****'****t ****you ****think ****Your ****father ****picked the ****one ****you ****would ****grow ****to ****love. ****Jono ****died ****because ****Akhenaden ****wanted ****you ****to ****be ****Pharaoh. ****How ****heartbreaking ****is ****it ****to ****see ****your ****lover****'****s ****past ****self ****killed ****for ****your ****sake? ****So ****in ****a ****way, ****he ****died ****for ****you.****" **The voice taunted evilly._

_Kaiba clenched his fists. "Alright you bastard, why are you showing me this? And what did Kisara have to do with anything?" _

"_**Why ****Kaiba, ****I ****simply ****was ****showing ****you ****how ****your ****life ****would ****have ****been ****without ****Jounouchi. ****Jono ****was ****reincarnated ****into ****the ****form ****of ****Jou ****because ****his ****soul ****sought ****to ****repent. ****He ****was ****sacrificed ****for ****malevolent ****purposes ****and ****so ****he ****was ****reincarnated ****to ****do ****good ****in ****order ****to ****repent ****for ****his ****past ****self****'****s ****actions.****"**_

"_But that doesn't explain anything; you're basically just saying that Jou was reincarnated because of Jono's sacrifice. Are you saying that if Jou wasn't sacrificed than he wouldn't have had to be reincarnated and therefore," he sucked in a breath, "Jou wouldn't have been born?" _

"_**You ****always ****had ****a ****sharp ****mind. ****Yes, ****if ****Akhenaden ****hadn****'****t ****approached ****me ****like ****he ****did ****with ****his ****ideas ****of ****conspiracy ****than ****Jono ****would****'****ve ****lived ****his ****life ****peacefully. ****Kaiba,****you ****killed ****Jono ****so ****that ****you ****could ****have ****Jou. ****It ****seems ****a ****little ****selfish ****doesn****'****t ****it? ****Jono ****had ****a ****family ****you****know.****" **Again, the voice laughed diabolically. _

_Kaiba began to shake. "It doesn't matter; my past-self wouldn't have known Jono so it doesn't even matter. Priest Seto would've just spent his days serving Yami. Jounouchi was born for me just like how I was born for him; it has nothing to do with that magic shit."_

"_**How ****long ****do ****you ****intend ****to ****live ****in ****ignorance ****of ****the ****truth? ****Perhaps, ****you ****need ****to ****experience ****how ****life ****really ****would ****be ****like ****without ****Jounouchi****…"**_

_Kaiba surged up, "You better not lay a finger on Jou! I will kill you before you even get the chance! You best stay the hell away from him! I will never let you hurt him!" He roared thunderously. Although he was still unconvinced in terms of what this voice was telling him, the thought of losing Jou caused immense fury within him. _

"_**Ah ****yes, ****perhaps ****young ****Katsuya ****Jounouchi s****hall ****be ****sacrificed ****once ****again.****"**_

"_No! I won't let you take him away from me!"_

"_**If anything, blame that father of yours for he betrayed us all. He's dead of course but what better way for me to extract revenge than by destroying you?"**_

_Kaiba began to scream and shout a series of profanities but his words fell upon deaf ears. Although he shouted, no sound emitted from his lip and he was inaudible. He clutched at his throat, eyes wide. He then looked up and watched as the image of Jono faded away. Before it did however, the blonde picked up his head and stared straight into Kaiba's eyes. "Please…" he said brokenly, "Don't let them kill me, Seto." _

"Stay with me!" Kaiba yelled as he bolted upwards in bed. His face was slicked with sweat and his hair clung to his head uncomfortably but he paid it no mind. His head was swimming in what he had dreamt and he hastily turned towards the slumbering body beside him. Slowly his hand crept onto the figure's shoulder and Kaiba took note of its broad feeling on his fingers. Fearing that it was somehow Kisara again, Kaiba lowered the blanket off the figure's shoulders and let out a relieved sigh upon seeing Jou's sleeping face. "Jou, you're here," was all that Kaiba said.

The blonde groaned in his sleep as he shifted closer to his boyfriend. "Seto? You okay?" he asked, not bothering to open his eyes. "Did you have a nightmare again? You haven't had those in a long ass time."

Kaiba didn't reply, he only gathered the smaller boy in his arms and began pressing kisses to every inch of his face. This caused Jou to open his eyes and he watched his lover's movements with a careful gaze. "Stay with me." Kaiba repeated.

"I always will." Jou promised. "What was your dream about?"

"Just, just stay." Kaiba said, ignoring his lover's question. "I need to hear you say it."

"I'll stay, Seto." Jounouchi comforted, leaning up to kiss the brunette's forehead.

One last thing, Kaiba leaned his cheek against the top of Jou's head. "Katsuya, why were you born into this world?" He felt the boy smile.

"I was born for you, Seto. I was born to love and make you happy."

"I thought so too." Kaiba agreed, quietly.

* * *

><p><em>The Great Thief King Bakura sat upon a golden throne with his right elbow resting on the arm of his chair and supported the weight of his head on the back of his hand. His eyes were closed and he seemed uninterested in the world. He had on his usual red robe as well as different pieces of gold jewelry hanging off his neck. Covering his short gray hair was a white headdress that covered the shadows of his eyes. <em>

"_My King?" a voice questioned and Bakura opened his eyes in response. He was met with a sight that astounded him. A man stood before him in Egyptian clothes and glittering gold. The Tomb Robber leaned back in his throne and looked around, eyes darting from left to right. He was sitting in a throne in the royal palace of the Pharaoh yet when he looked down to his chest, he had the Millennium Ring on as oppose to the Millennium Puzzle. _

"_King?" Bakura asked back. _

"_Yes, you are the Thief King that rules over Egypt." The man replied back, hesitantly. He was not accustomed to seeing the King so disoriented. _

"_The ruler of Egypt?" Bakura looked at his opened hands and focused his eyes on the center of his palms. He turned his hands back and forth yet he still couldn't understand how he could be the ruler of Egypt. Has his past changed somehow? "You, what happened to the previous Pharaoh? Pharaoh Yami of the Akhenamkhanen line?" _

"_My King, are you alright? You killed the Pharaoh and so now you rule over Egypt. You did it to extract revenge for the fallen people of Kul Ena. The city in which you rule now pays no mind to crime and violence; thieves and bandits occupy the homes of the peasants of who are all on the streets as they are unable to provide for themselves. The royal city has changed into a city for thieves." The man informed with a low bow. _

_Bakura stood up abruptly and ignored the confused look the man sent his way. He walked briskly towards the opened balcony that overlooked the main market place of the city and once he threw open the curtain; he stepped onto the balcony and crossed his arms. Grey eyes looked downwards and he frowned at the sight. _

_Thieves littered the streets going about their business: sharpening knives, daggers, and swords, threatening slaves, committing criminal acts as well as defiling the city. This was his city? Bakura's city was that of thieves and robbers? This was certainly not his idea of an Egyptian Utopia. His eyes wandered again and he noticed a large crowd of men and he raised a brow in wonder. _

_There seemed to be some sort of ruckus as the mob of men all shouted loudly and laughed. Perhaps they were amusing themselves by torturing some peasant or slave, either way, it didn't concern him. Bakura made a move to retreat back into his throne room when he looked back over his shoulder again and saw a flash of white hair and pale skin. _

"_There's no way." Bakura said. It was impossible, wasn't it? The people of Egypt all had darkened hair and skin but then again, who was this stranger in his city? Against his better judgment, the Thief King climbed up onto the railing of his balcony and swiftly jumped down despite the fact that he was very high in the air. He fell quickly and landed smoothly on his feet with the grace of a true King and ran towards the mob of people. The men must have noticed his presence for they began to let out cheers. _

"_Make way! The Thief King is here!" one man yelled to the rest of the crowd. The crowd of men split in two as Bakura neared and the circle of men that had once been there broke apart. In the center of the circle there laid a broken and battered person lying face down in the sand. _

"_Silence!" Bakura barked out, sending glares out in all direction as the crowd of men was quieted themselves. The Thief King walked towards the figure on the ground and crouched down on one knee. The men looked around amongst themselves, they were all confused as to the King's behavior; he never showed remorse for the weak. He noticed the fanned out and layered style of the person's white hair and Bakura frowned again. Surely it couldn't be? With a cautious hand, Bakura placed it on the figure's shoulder and turned the body around. _

_The person turned out to be a young boy with long, white hair and his complexion was creamy and fair – almost as if he had never seen the sun before. Bakura let out an enraged growl. "Ryou!" He cried out, rushing forward and shaking the boy by the shoulders. _

_This Ryou look-a-like hadn't responded, he only let out a pained moan. _

"_Ryou! Ryou, it's me!" Bakura shouted, hoping to get through to the fallen boy. When he didn't receive a response, Bakura turned towards the crowd with hate-filled eyes and the men all backed away in fear. The Thief King was ruthless when he was angry and right now, he looked ready to massacre them all. "You fools! Why would hurt this boy?" He roared. _

_The men all cowered, dropping to their knees in fear of their Thief King. One man sunk so low to the ground that his face touched the hot, Egypt sand. "We are sorry, Great King! This boy was nothing but a slave and so we wanted to ease his life a bit by ending it! We meant no harm!"_

"_No harm?" Bakura screamed. "Torturing and beating a defenseless boy yields no harm? How dare you fools set foot into my city! You all will die for this!" A harsh, fiery rage erupted within Bakura's chest as he jumped to his feet. His Millennium Ring glowed a bright golden hue and from within the shadows, Diabound rose high into the sky. "Diabound, Helical Shockwave! Kill these fools! Make sure their souls are obliterated so not even the Shadows will welcome them! Kill them all!" _

_The Snake God fired its attack at the crowd of men who were all desperately trying to get away but it was to no avail; they all died a quick and painful death. Before they died, they felt an immense heat from the King's monster's attack that would scar and decimate their skin till they drop dead all around him. Bakura's face was hard as stone as he saw each body crumbled into the sand and he could only click his tongue in annoyance. He turned back to the boy on the ground and caressed his cheek lightly. His fingers ran through Ryou's hair softly, "Ryou, Ryou can you hear me?" He called out. _

_The boy coughed in response, his frail body succumbing into fits of pain. A pair of chocolate brown eyes opened and upon seeing the Thief King's face, Ryou back away in immense fear. He was terrified but who could blame him? The Thief King was known to be a ruthless leader with a lust for blood and death. "I-I'm sorry!" Ryou stuttered out, coughing again. "Please, my King! Spare me!" he cried out, attempting to back away even more but he fell to the ground in his pain. _

"_Ryou, I just want to help you." Bakura offered, standing up to go walk towards the boy but then he stopped once he looked deep into Ryou's eyes. They were wide in fear and were shaking uncontrollably. Although the young boy's body was broken, he still made attempts to get away which could only serve for more fright. Bakura's heart then clenched painfully at the sight of his light. _

'_He hasn't looked at me like that since before…when I was the one to beat and torture him.' He thought miserably. He placed a hand on his chest where the punctured wounds that he had inflicted upon himself for Ryou and all he felt was smooth skin. Casting his eyes downwards, he saw that the skin was not scarred and it was absent of the wounds. _

_The scene faded out and the Thief King bowed his head in shame, closing his eyes painfully. "I'm so sorry for what I did to you before Ryou, I was a monster. I've changed now, you know that don't you?" _

"_**You ****will ****never ****change.****"** A voice told him harshly. "**You ****will ****always ****be ****a ****monster**."_

_Bakura growled, fangs appearing over his lip as he turned around widely, trying to find the source of the voice. He stood in darkness, the only thing he could even see was just black space and he groped around widely, fearing that his sight had been taken away from him. _

"_You've blinded me!"_

"_**Monsters ****belong ****in ****the ****darkness**," was the reply he received. "**Do ****you ****know ****what ****a ****monster ****is, ****Bakura?****It ****is ****an ****ugly ****creature ****designed ****to ****frighten ****people. ****A ****monster ****is ****cruel ****and ****excites ****horror ****within ****a ****person. ****Ryou ****thinks ****you****'****re ****a ****monster.****" **_

_Bakura inwardly winced. He had been a monster to Ryou and although he knew that he had changed from his evil ways, he also knew that he would never be able to repent for what he did. Bakura had done many horrible things to Ryou: beaten, tortured, suppressed him into complete darkness, injured him, and on countless occasions casted the boy away from his friends. He had isolated him from everyone to the point where Ryou had to repeatedly change schools. "I was a monster to him. All I can do now is repent for what I have done. I will continue to be there for him and help him when I can. I promised him that I would protect him with my life and although it may not be much, Ryou knows how sorry I am."_

"_**That ****is ****very ****ignorant ****of ****you, ****Thief ****King. ****Ryou ****will ****always ****think ****of ****you ****as ****a ****monster. ****He ****sees ****you ****as ****a ****monster ****that ****he ****can ****never ****get ****rid ****of. ****He ****is ****terrified ****of ****you. ****He ****is ****frightful ****of yo****u. ****You ****scare ****him. ****When ****he****'****s ****with ****you, ****he ****fears ****for ****his ****life.****" **_

_Ryou's pained and terrified face then flashed before Bakura's eyes before the image disappeared again. He only looked away in shame and closed his eyes tightly. It pained him to have to see that look on Ryou's face again. The more time he spent with Ryou, the more his heart grew to care for him and so seeing Ryou like that only horrified him. "That's not true." Bakura denied, shaking his head._

"_**Do ****you ****like ****your ****city, ****Bakura?****The ****once ****respectable ****city ****of ****Akhenamkhanen ****has ****been ****tarnished ****in ****your ****name; ****you ****allow ****thieves ****and ****robbers ****to ****parade ****freely ****in ****the ****streets ****and ****you****'****ve ****disenfranchised ****the ****peasants ****and ****slaves. ****Pharaoh ****Akhenamkhanen ****was ****a ****respectable ****man, ****he ****cared ****for ****all ****of ****his ****people ****and ****you ****have ****turned ****his ****city ****into ****a ****shameful ****place. ****What ****utter ****disrespect ****for ****one ****of ****Egypt****'****s ****greatest ****rulers.****"**_

"_If I was same man back then that I am now, I wouldn't have allowed the kingdom to fall in such a way. I would've sent the thieves away and protect the people of Egypt; I would do right by the Pharaoh." Bakura mumbled quietly._

"_**You ****say ****that ****yet ****you ****did ****wrong ****from ****the ****very ****beginning. ****Your ****initial ****mistake ****began ****when ****you ****decided ****that ****you ****had ****the ****right ****to ****rule ****over ****Egypt; ****I ****see ****it ****as ****conspiracy ****and ****treason. ****You ****have ****no ****right ****to ****disrespect ****the ****royal ****family ****as ****you ****were ****never ****meant ****for ****any ****more ****than ****that ****of ****a ****petty ****thief. ****How ****dare ****you ****challenge ****higher ****and ****royal ****authority? ****You ****defiled ****the ****mummified ****body ****of ****the ****greatest ****Kings ****of ****Egypt ****and ****you ****will ****pay ****dearly ****for ****that. ****If ****not ****by ****your ****life ,****then ****by ****the ****life ****of ****someone ****you ****hold ****dear.****" **The voice explained before it laughed tauntingly. _

_Bakura covered his face in his head. All he could hear in his head was the repeated word of "Monster" and his head was filled with the image of Ryou's fearful face. He just couldn't get it out of his head; maybe he really was a monster. "I don't deserve to live."_

"_**Monsters ****are ****evil, ****ugly ****creatures. ****They ****belong ****in ****the ****dark ****and ****their ****only ****want ****is ****to ****harm ****and ****cause ****fear ****in ****the ****hearts ****of ****people. ****You ****love ****the ****darkness, ****do ****you ****not? ****Do ****you ****miss ****Zorc? ****You ****sent ****countless ****people ****to ****the ****Shadows; ****perhaps ****you ****need ****to ****experience ****the ****feeling ****of ****isolation ****and ****suppression.****"**_

"_I can't. Who will protect Ryou?" Bakura asked bitterly. _

_A dark chuckle thundered around him. **"****What ****does ****it ****matter? ****Ryou ****is ****terrified ****of ****you; ****he ****wants ****you ****gone. ****Malik ****could ****better ****protect ****him ****than ****you ****ever ****could; ****you****'****ve ****been ****gone ****for ****years. ****Malik ****has ****always ****been****t here ****for ****him****…****he ****loves ****Malik.****" **_

_Bakura's heart stung painfully. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked bitterly. For some reason, his heart clenched at the thought of Ryou loving another. The Thief King had only hoped that the love Ryou felt for Malik was purely platonic – It was only because he cared for his light and not because of anything else. He certainly didn't have feelings for the boy, right? His heart clenched only because he was afraid of loss. Unlike his other friends, Bakura didn't have any one to love him. Malik had his brother and sister as well as Marik, Kaiba had Jou, Yugi had his grandfather and the Pharaoh, and he? He didn't have anyone because there was no way that Ryou would ever love someone like him. _

"_**I want you to die. I want you to perish in the darkness. I would never let someone like you walk the land of the living; you simply do not deserve it for you are an ugly, evil monster. Die." **_

_What Bakura then felt was the most excruciating pain he had ever felt in his life. From the darkness, his eyes barely registered movement until he physically tensed. A figure had dashed forward in front of him and dug its claws into the left side of Bakura's chest - right where his heart was located. _

Light blue eyes opened and Bakura panted heavily as he woke up. His chest rose rapidly as he tried to steady his beating heart. He looked around his surroundings and rose up, supporting his weight on his left elbow. Placing a hand over his heart, Bakura gripped at the skin till his nails scraped along the tan flesh. He had felt like his heart was being ripped out from within his chest and that terrified him; how could a dream seem so real?

The Thief King turned his attention to the boy sleeping peacefully beside him. Ryou was lying on his back with one arm flung across his face and a small little smile was present on his lips. Bakura let out a sigh and leaned forward to kiss the boy's forehead. He ran his fingers along the side of Ryou's cheek and frowned.

Ryou looked like an angel as he slept. His face wasn't marred by any looks of despair or fear; not at all like the image he saw in his dream. The Tomb Robber bit his lower lip harshly until he felt the metallic taste of blood on his tongue; he didn't ever want to see that expression on Ryou's face ever again - especially if he was the cause for it.

"I'm not a monster, am I?" Bakura asked quietly. He knew he wouldn't get a response but he felt that he needed to ask. He felt like one but he didn't want to admit it. He could only hope that when Ryou awoke, he would help Bakura forget these feelings of sadness.

* * *

><p><em>Marik was sitting on the floor of a white room with one leg bent at the knee and the other extended straight out. He had one arm resting upon his knee and his limb represented that of a right angle while his head was leaning back against another's. Lilac eyes looked up at a non-existing sky, staring aimlessly at nothing but yet everything at the same time. <em>

_Malik mirrored his darkness' position except he was leaning back against the spiky haired blonde. While Marik looked to the skies, Malik looked to the ground. They were opposites as well as two parts of one whole. When Marik would switch his attention to the ground, Malik would look upwards. Their movements were coordinated to reflect the opposite motions of the other. Marik and Malik were after all, one person in the same. _

_Marik was the darkness._

_Malik was the light. _

_They needed each other to exist, that much was true anyway. The spirit that had once occupied the Millennium Rod was everything that Malik was not: strong, hateful, envious, controlling, diabolical, sadistic, pained, and angry. Likewise, Malik was everything that Marik was not: weak, happy, strong-willed, accepting, and overall justified. As the two sat back against one another, an easy silence fell upon them. The two then, in unison, raised one hand to the sky. Marik had his right hand up while Malik his left up. They both simultaneously turned and clasped together, joining together both Marik and Malik. _

_They remained like that for what seemed like an eternity but nothing ever lasts forever. Suddenly, the warm and comforting body behind him disappeared and Marik found himself falling backwards. He let out a sound of discomfort as his back thudded uncomfortably against the ground. _

_His eyes looked upwards but saw nothing. "Malik?" he questioned. _

"_**Malik ****is ****gone.****" **A voice answered. _

_Marik clenched his fists, "What do you mean he is gone?" _

"_**You succeeded. You are the 'true' son of Ishtar. Malik is no more." **_

_The blonde bolted upwards into a sitting position. "What do you mean Malik is no more?" Marik screamed. _

"_**That ****is ****what ****you ****wanted, ****correct? ****You ****told ****your ****weaker ****self ****that ****he ****was ****not ****the ****real ****son ****of ****Ishtar ****and ****that ****you ****were. ****You ****succeeded ****and ****you ****won ****the ****battle****…****your ****prize?****Your ****prize ****is ****the ****complete ****control ****over ****the ****body ****belonging ****to ****the ****son ****of ****Ishtar.****"**_

"_Where is Malik? What have you done to him?"_

"_**Place your hand over your heart. Now tell me, son of Ishtar, what do you feel?"**_

_Marik obeyed, placing his right hand over his heart and he bowed his head, eyes casted downwards. "I feel cold. I feel my heart beating yet I do not feel the warmth of my heart."_

"_**That ****is ****because ****Malik ****is ****no ****more. ****You ****two ****are ****complete ****opposites ****and ****so ****when ****he ****was ****sent ****away, ****you ****gained ****everything ****that ****he ****lacked ****or ****didn****'****t ****have. ****He ****was ****the ****source ****of ****heat ****wasn****'****t ****he?****Now ****that ****he ****is ****gone, ****all ****you ****have ****left ****is ****the ****cold.****" **_

"_No! I need Malik and he needs me! We are two halves of one person! Yes, I am the bitter cold while Malik is the vibrant heat but that is exactly why we need to be together! When hot mixes with cold, warmth is born! I need Malik!" Marik began to panic; he didn't want a life without his light. Over the course of the time he had spent with his counterpart, he had grown to greatly care for the boy. _

"_**What? ****Wasn****'****t ****it ****your ****wish ****to ****make ****Malik ****disappear? ****You ****never ****cared ****for ****the ****boy ****before, ****why ****start ****now?****If ****I ****recall ****correctly, ****you ****didn****'****t ****hesitate ****to ****sacrifice ****the ****boy ****to ****the ****Shadow ****Realm ****during ****your ****duel ****with ****the ****Pharaoh.****" **The voice sneered to which Marik paled, faltering slightly. "**You ****misused ****the ****Shadow ****Realm ****by ****damning ****the ****souls ****of ****the ****innocent; ****you ****did ****not ****waver ****when ****given ****control ****of ****Malik****'****s ****life.****"**_

_Marik covered his face with his hands in shame. "I-I know. I was so different then but I can assure you that I would never harm Malik. I would never want to cause any more pain to him than I already have. He's forgiven me and allowed me to enter his heart; he allowed me to be his friend. I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that!" _

"_**It ****certainly ****is ****not ****up ****to ****you. ****You ****wished ****for ****it ****and ****alas, ****it ****will ****come ****true. ****You ****wanted ****Malik ****to ****disappear ****and ****so ****I ****will ****grant ****your ****wish. ****Do ****you ****hesitate, ****son ****of ****Ishtar? ****I ****thought ****that ****this ****is ****what ****you****'****ve ****always ****wanted. ****You ****will ****live ****your ****life ****without ****your ****other ****half**** – ****you ****will ****no ****longer ****know ****of ****happiness ****and ****justice.****" **_

"_You can't do that!" Marik cried. _

"_**Allow ****me ****to ****erase ****Malik ****from ****this ****world, ****after ****all, ****that ****was ****your ****wish. ****Do ****you ****feel ****sadness, ****Marik? ****Do ****you ****see ****this ****as ****a ****suitable ****form ****of ****punishment ****for ****your ****misuse ****of ****the ****shadows?****"**_

"_Yes." Marik answered quickly. "Nothing could be worse – a world without Malik is not a world worth living in." His fingers pulled at his hair at the mere thought of it. _

"_**Submit ****and ****face ****your ****punishment!****" **_

_Marik could only watch in horror as a transparent form of Malik floated from out of his chest. The blonde had his eyes closed as his spirit form floated into the air and despites Marik's outstretched hand, he could not grab onto the disappearing boy. "Malik!" _

"Malik!" The spiky haired blonde screamed, sitting up in bed quickly. He looked around madly trying to find out where he was and upon looking towards the left, his lilac eyes were met with ones just like it. Malik was currently still awake and was simply sitting up in bed, watching his darkness sleep.

"Yes?" Malik asked, raising a brow. He took note of his darkness' panicked look and shaking form. "Is there something wrong?"

"You're here," was all Marik said as he grabbed the smaller boy and pulled him into his lap. Malik yelped in response, not accustomed to this type of embrace from his counterpart. The ancient spirit wrapped his arms tightly around Malik's waist and burrowed his face at the crook of Malik's neck.

"Did you have some sort of nightmare?" Malik asked, blinking. He had never seen his darkness in such a state. He slowly wrapped his arms around Marik's neck and used his fingers to smooth the spiky hair. "It's alright, I'm here."

"Don't disappear." Marik ordered, his arms tightening.

"I won't."

"I need you Malik; I need you here with me." Marik admitted.

Malik hadn't replied, he simply nodded in understanding. He pressed his lips to the corner of his darkness' mouth before leaning down to kiss Marik at his neck's pulse point. "I'll be here. I need you too, sometimes anyway."

The spiky haired blonde fell silent, he was almost certain who had visited him in his dreams. He knew that he needed to talk to the others about it as it seemed that only he had the dream and Malik did not.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: It's like 2:00 in the morning and I just wanted to get this chapter out. I know I haven't update in weeks and I apologize for that, I've been really busy with homework and midterms. Thank god for my month long break in December though. Anyway, I'm not sure if I had any fun writing this chapter. I actually dislike it, I tried to make it seem mysterious yet logical at the same time – it wasn't easy. It probably sucks. There's less of Bronzeshipping in this chapter since there was so much last chapter; just to even things out I suppose.<p>

(1) I just googled energy in japanese. Seiryoku is apparently the kanji name for energy. Energy is "Ki" in japanese. Thanks DBZ!  
>(2) Mask of Darkness and Mask of Light : Lumis and Umbra in the dub<p>

If there are some mistakes, forgive those. I started writing this chapter yesterday and just finished it today. I hope to hear what you all think and until next time, my loves. My longest chapter so far:

Final Pages: 29  
>Final Words: 19.4k<br>Final Characters: 70k

Read and Review if you please, that would make me so happy!


	7. Reach

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! or its characters

Chapter: 7 "**Reach**"

Author's Notes: Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed my story! I was actually surprised at the positive responses towards the last chapter. I didn't think many people would like it since I hated writing it; I felt like it was just lame. And I apologized for misspellings, the words in bold during the dream sequence got messed up when I uploaded the word document to the document manager. I spent an hour spacing out the words because if I didn't, the bold words would've looked a lot like this: **annoyingisn't?Yeahscrewyoudocumentmanager!**

I'm sorry! It's been a month and I haven't updated! I'm sorry, I've been really busy with Thanksgiving and finals week! But finals are over and I have a wonderful month and a half off of school so expect updates again. I've had really bad writer's block too for this chapter, I'm not sure why.

Thank you to **Saga of Eternal Rain, crazyhikari, PiWrite, .Fortune, Kokoro no nake, Queen-Hachi, davethecelticguardian, aoiaoi, RyouandBakuraforever, ilovemanicures, puffin, and Angeldrkfire** :) It makes me really happy when I read all of your comments! Thank you to anyone else that reviewed and that I missed, I don't usually go back to update up hurr but thank you still!

**Puffin**: Sorry about that! I used their Japanese names instead of the Dubbed ones. Amelda (Alister), Seeker (Exodia Rare Hunter), Pandora (Arkana), Pantomimer (Strings)

**ilovemanicures**: Thank you so much! You don't have to apologize for not reviewing, its fine! :) I'm glad you really liked the last chapter, I spent so much time planning and researching but I'm glad it was worth it! I absolutely despise reading fanfictions where couples fall in love just like that, it makes the story seem so boring so I'm glad you like the relationship growth! I tried to make it as realistic as I could.

**RyouandBakuraforever**: Thank you! I really wanted to have all the boys work together to figure it all out because I liked the idea of having them all contribute each of their own thoughts! I spent so much time researching information on Egyptian symbols and art so thank you so very much for noticing! I really appreciate it! I even wrote an outline just for that one scene.

**.Fortune**: I absolutely LOVE YGOTAS! It is such a hilarious series! That's true though; it might be a little weird for friends to snuggle as much as the ones in this fanfiction do. But I cuddle a lot with my friends hahaha

* * *

><p>"How was your sleep last night, guys?" Ryou asked conversationally as he shifted comfortably onto his stomach. He was lying down on one of the air mattresses and floated about in Kaiba's pool. It was around 10:00 in the morning and he, Yugi, Jou and Malik were all relaxing in the pool. The Kaiba Mansion boasted a wide and rectangular pool that was attached to a Jacuzzi that bubbled constantly. The pool was four feet deep to twelve feet deep from left to right. Malik was leaning back against the pool's edge while Yugi sat on Jou's shoulders. "Mine was rather pleasant."<p>

They were all situated around the pool. Malik was around the somewhat shallower end at about six feet, Ryou floated on his air mattress at eight and Jou at ten feet.

Jounouchi floated behind Ryou with a grin on his face as he tickled Yugi's knees that were currently slung over his shoulders. Honey brown eyes then turned towards the white haired boy, "I had an alright sleep but I don't think I can say the same for Seto. He woke up in a cold sweat last night."

"What happened?" Ryou asked.

"He had some sort of a nightmare and woke me up." The blonde answered, frowning slightly. "It was strange; he hasn't had a nightmare in a long time. Afterwards, he started being clingy which he doesn't normally do – I mean he likes to cuddle but last night was different. He was like clinging onto me."

"Yami had a nightmare too; he woke up in this state of panic." Yugi said, matter-of-factly as he crossed his arms on top of Jou's head. He rested his head upon his arms and let out a small whine. "He was saying something about bleeding across his face but when I looked at him, he looked fine. I'm not sure what happened to him."

"Come to think about it, Marik had a nightmare too." Malik replied, crossing his arms after running one through his hair. "I woke up a little bit before he did and he looked really disoriented. He seemed panicked but I was just confused more than worried. I played it off as nonchalant but now I'm getting worried. Why do you think they all had nightmares?"

"Maybe it was a coincidence?" Ryou offered. Everyone then looked at him with pointed expressions and the artist shrugged sheepishly. "Okay, maybe it wasn't a coincidence. I certainly don't recall Bakura waking up like this but in any case, we should probably ask them about it albeit individually though – I know Bakura wouldn't be comfortable sharing something like this with all of you."

"You know Ryou, you and Bakura have gotten very close in these many weeks that he has returned." Jou mentioned, raising a brow amusingly. "Is there something going on between you two? If there is, I wouldn't be surprised." As he spoke his last word, he poked Ryou's side.

Color flooded Ryou's face at that and he looked up to the sky. "Hmm, I wonder? If you're saying that I enjoy Bakura's company then yes, I do. He's an interesting person to be around. While I do enjoy his company, I'm not sure if I fancy him."

Malik looked at his best friend with a small smirk. "You like him, end of story. I've seen the looks you give him when you think no one is watching."

Ryou looked down, defeated. "I don't know, maybe." He answered softly. "It's hard not to. He's wonderful; he's so caring and special. He's amazing too; I've learned so much from him in these last weeks than I ever have in the sixteen years that I've known him." He blushed harder but then looked up with a tilt of his head. "Are things going by too fast? I feel like I'm starting to like Bakura but he's only been back for a couple months."

"Love isn't limited by time and space." Jounouchi reminded. "Not that you love him of course," Jou added when Ryou looked at him with a horrified expression. "What I'm saying is that it doesn't matter how long time has passed; if you like him then you like him." He said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Ryou hummed softly as he began to think. Bakura and Ryou had been through so much since he returned and it was hard not to like someone like Bakura. He was handsome, that much was true, and he wanted the best for Ryou to which Ryou could only want the same for his darker half. After a few moments to himself, Ryou looked up. "I guess I do like him."

The remaining boys cooed at him adorably till Ryou pointed a finger at Malik and Yugi. "Don't act as if the same thing isn't happening to you two." He specifically turned towards Malik, "You're the one that likes Marik; I see you staring at him all the time and you know you love it when he coddles you."

Malik's face tinged pink briefly before he glared. "He does not coddle me!"

Yugi smiled as he wrapped his arms around Jou's neck and nuzzled his cheek against the cheek of his best friend. "Marik coddles you all the time! He's always making sure you're alright with lots of hugs and random kisses on your back! Even yesterday you had his head in your lap! You don't see me and Yami doing that!" Yugi pointed out with a giggle.

"First of all," Malik said hotly, "They are not 'random' kisses! You wouldn't understand because your back isn't scared like ours!" He viciously retorted but Yugi only looked at him mockingly. "I don't like Marik, I merely enjoy his company." Malik continued, quoting Ryou. Honestly he wasn't sure if he did indeed like his dark counterpart at this moment in his life but he was sure that he enjoyed being with him. Of course, Malik would be lying if he didn't appreciate how protective Marik was over him. The only people who had ever coddled him like that were his siblings; it was understandable to like being coddled from someone other than his relatives – even if it was another version of him.

The blonde took a moment to think about whether or not he was attracted to his darker half before lilac eyes connected with the others and a sigh escaped his lips. "Maybe I do, maybe even just a little." He finished. "He has been nothing but a gentleman to me these past weeks. He's caring, strong, affectionate, and well." Malik's face burned slightly. "He's very handsome."

Jou, Yugi and Ryou let out cheers with Jounouchi pointing a teasing finger in Malik's direction. The two lights were both smiling angelically while Jou had a knowing smirk. "Awe, Malik!" Jou cried with Yugi and Ryou chorusing after him.

Malik's only response was the raising of his middle finger.

"What about you, Yugi?" Jounouchi asked, turning his attention upwards. He and the others decided to stop teasing their friend about his newfound crush. He shrugged his shoulders up so that Yugi bounced on his shoulders. He heard his best friend let out a contented sigh and hum to which the blonde could only smile. "Not yet, huh?"

"It's a bit complicated for Yami and I. We were already very close from the beginning so it's a little strange. I don't mind the touches, it's nice to know how deeply he cares for me, but it just hasn't gotten that far yet. I love Yami but then I also don't love Yami. Does that make sense?" Yugi frowned, scratching his head.

Ryou shifted so that he was on his back, his eyes fluttering close. "You love Yami like a friend but not in the romantic way. It's understandable, the 'friend zone' as they call it, right? I guess Malik and I have it easier. We both had a chance to become attracted to them."

Yugi nodded his head in agreement. "Exactly; see, Yami and I love each other in a platonic way. He's the one that comforts me during times of stress. Whenever I needed a little encourage or even just a little pep talk, Yami would always materialize and comfort me. He's the best big brother figure that I could ever ask for. Anything more that would be hard to break."

"Well, would you want to have a relationship with him?" Malik asked, twirling a lock of hair around his finger. His lilac eyes widen slightly when the other three raised their brows in wonderment and he hurried to correct himself. "I mean, I'm not looking to have a relationship but if it were with Marik, I wouldn't mind. Like I said before, he's a good person."

The tri-color haired boy merely shrugged. "If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I'm honestly not looking to have one nor am I complaining that he and I are in this position." He was then met with many pairs of rolling eyes but they didn't understand; Yami was like the older, protective brother that he never had. He mentally frowned upon recalling the kiss he shared with his 'brother' and Yugi only shook his head, knowing he needed more time on the subject of a relationship with Yami.

"I would like a relationship with Bakura." Ryou smiled confidently. He stretched out his stiff limbs before diving into the water. He reemerged a couple seconds later, his white hair sticking to his face. "I just don't think he'd want one." He added, shrugging helplessly.

"You should talk to him about it, as forward as Bakura is, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't approach you about something like this." Jou offered, reaching out to flick his bangs out of his eyes. "I've learned from experience; Seto and I wouldn't have gotten together unless I initiated the first move."

"What are you talking about? Seto is the one that initiated the first move. He kissed you first and all you did to initiate that kiss was standing there and looking cute." Yugi pointed out with a soft backwards kick of his heel to Jou's chest. "I don't think that will work with Bakura."

Malik swam forward so he was closer to his friends. "But it couldn't hurt."

"I'll talk to him eventually." Ryou replied. "He's been busy with Marik over this Anubis ordeal. Actually," he paused uncomfortably, "We've all been busy over it."

That was true. For the past several weeks, the boys have done nothing but contribute in their own way to the prophecy. Marik and Bakura made their trips to the Shadow Realm while Kaiba invested in more archaeological digs. The Pharaoh would often disappear within the confines of his own mind so that he could find any hidden memories; Yugi couldn't count how many times he found his other half slumped over in a chair with his crimson eyes glazed over.

Ryou would spend his days painting more pictures from the prophecy and he was currently working on a painting of the dark altar that he had envisioned. Yugi would visit his grandfather; ask him about his past archaeological digs and whether he had ever uncovered such a prophecy. Jounouchi would be up with Kaiba late into the night since the two needed to work longer hours to be able to pay for all the archaeology digs that Kaiba had going on at once. Malik would assist his brother and sister at the Domino Museum; all in all, they all did their part.

It was starting to become a routine.

Wanting to distance everyone from their grim thoughts, the street-smart blonde whistled loudly to get their attention.

"Look at all of these developing loves." Jounouchi cooed at his friends. Malik and Ryou blushed slightly but chose to look away while Yugi just rocked his legs back and forth. "This is all quite adorable." Jou reached out to pinch Malik's cheek and he easily dodged the other blonde's attempt at biting his finger off. He then ruffled Ryou's head who accepted it cutely. "If you ever need anything from Katsuya Jounouchi, don't hesitate to ask. Anyone have any questions? Anything? Questions about sex, perhaps? I'll tell you all you need to know; even what drives Seto wild." Jou stated with a toothy grin.

Malik shook his head with a grin of his own. "As handsome as that man is, I don't think I want to know what goes on in the dragon's den. I might be scared for life."

The businessman only winked.

Ryou blushed harder. "Really now Jou, I'm getting the feeling that the two of you can be quite the exhibitionists when given the chance."

Jou paused a moment to think, "Well, there was that time our secretary caught us having sex on her office table; in my defense, I was against it but Seto can be very persuasive. You guys should've seen her face! It was absolutely hysterical! I was a bit mortified but Seto took one look at her, smirked, and then just kept going. Oh, and then all those times we couldn't make it upstairs: the stairs, kitchen table, kitchen floor, couch…" The black dragon user trailed off, counting off the many places that he and Seto had engaged in coitus.

"I feel a little bad for their staff." Yugi giggled.

Malik and Ryou could only agree.

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot! For our sixteen months, he fucked me against the edge of the pool over there!" Jou laughed, pointing a finger to where Malik had previously been leaning against. "What good sessions those were." Jou said dreamingly

Malik paled. He looked at his hands and then the rest of his body before shrieking loudly and jumping out of the pool. "Holy Ra! Oh fuck! That is disgusting! I've been tainted! Ryou!" Malik called to his best friend desperately, "Help me! I can feel bodily fluids all over me!"

Jou started laughing wildly at Malik's reaction. He fell back against the water and held his stomach causing Yugi to slip into the water but he was too busy laughing to notice. The smaller boy was too in a fit of laughter, the air escaping his lungs as he laughed uncontrollably, closing his eyes as he did so.

Ryou rose to the edge and extended a hand to rub at Malik's shin. "Relax Malik! That was nearly six months ago! I'm sure the pool's filtration system has cleansed this pool by now! Besides," he smiled. "Didn't you know? Sperm can only survive for about five to seven days!" The white haired boy giggled, covering his mouth to stifle his laughter.

Amongst all the laughter, Yugi felt himself being pulled downwards into the depths. He didn't pay it any mind; he knew that because of his laughing, his lungs were emptying of air. Due to that fact, he would automatically sink to the bottom of the pool. It was just the way science worked its influence on the world.

Science could not explain what was coming.

Yugi opened his eyes when he felt something latch onto his foot. Amethyst eyes looked downwards alarmingly and Yugi let out a string of bubbles as his eyes were met with cold, blood red eyes. A black clawed hand had grabbed onto his foot and was pulling him further down into the depths of the pool. Dark smoke began to float about from where the hand had come from and Yugi found himself sinking into the darkness. He could barely hear the screams of his friends above and he started to panic.

Up on the surface, Malik, Ryou and Jou were frantic upon seeing the black smoke. Usually the quickest to react, Jounouchi had took a mighty intake of air and dove into the deep depths of the pool. His eyes were wide and all he could concentrate was getting to Yugi as fast as he could. His arms were outstretched and he was kicking his legs furiously, determined to get to his best friend quickly.

Both Ryou and Malik made a move to dive down with Jou but suddenly, their skin began to burn intensely hot. They each let out sounds of discomfort, clutching at their sides. "W-what's going on?" Malik cried, kicking his legs widely to stay afloat but the more and more he kicked his legs, the more his skin burned.

Ryou struggled at the pain enveloping his body whilst in the pool before realization dawned over him. Shaking slightly from the scorched feeling on his skin, Ryou turned to Malik. "Malik, we have to get out of this water, there's something wrong with it! It'll burn our skin off if we don't get out of here!"

Using their last bits of strength, the two pulled themselves out of the pool and hugged each other tightly. Slowly but surely, the burning feeling began to fade till both boys felt virtually nothing. "Whatever's down there definitely doesn't want us to help." Malik concluded fearfully. "It's like its trying to keep us away from Yugi and Jounouchi."

Lilac and brown eyes shared a look before they nodded grimly. Closing their eyes, they knew that they should call for their respective darker selves. They turned back towards the pool with grave eyes. They could only see the struggling blonde and the drowning boy which caused their hearts to clench painfully.

/_Bakura!/_ Ryou cried out desperately, covering his mouth with both of his hands as he watched the brave blonde dive deeper into the pool. He called out to the Thief King, pleading with all his heart that he heard.

/**Marik!**/ Malik cried out in equal desperation. He knew that the water would burn his skin again if he dove back down and he mentally cursed at how weak he was. He could only hope that Jou got to Yugi in time. Calling out for his darker half, Malik hoped that Marik heard his cries.

Jounouchi hadn't even bothered calling for his lover for help before he dove, all he could think about was getting to Yugi and saving him. He didn't even care that his lungs urgently needed air, he had to save Yugi! He would rather die than let something happen to Yugi! An overwhelming sense of déjà vu hit the blonde as his memories briefly recalled the duel he had with Yugi when Malik was still evil. 'Don't give in, Yugi! Hold on just a bit longer! I'm coming!' Jou anxiously thought.

Yugi struggled against the clawed hand holding on his feet. He let out a gurgled scream as he felt the sharp claws violently scratch against his ankle, drawing blood. He watched as his blood mixed with the black smoke and Yugi reached out to Jou.

No matter how much Jou swam, he didn't seem to get any closer to Yugi. 'No! Yugi!' Jou screamed mentally.

The harder Yugi stretched out his hand to Jou, the further he sank deeper into the pool. He felt his consciousness slowly slipping in and out; his lungs were completely devoid of air. It was almost as if they were shriveling up inside him. Yugi's hand slowly faded downwards and his eyes fluttered closed. He was fighting a losing battle. His eyes began half lidded until Jou completely disappeared from his sight.

"**I have you now, little Yugi!" **A dark voice cackled around him.

Yugi's eyes shot open and he screamed for the only person that ran through his mind. /YAMI!/

* * *

><p>YAMI!/

The Pharaoh bolted upwards in bed, his eyes wide with fear and shock. He looked around widely for his light and he clenched his fists upon not seeing him. Throwing the covers off his body, Yami jumped to his feet. / / Yugi? Yugi, where are you? / /

He let out a growl of discomfort and clutched at his chest as a tightening feeling enveloped his heart. The feeling was unbearable; it was as if his heart was being squeezed as tightly as possible. The pain began to intensify until Yami wrapped shaky arms around his torso but he was strong, he refused to succumb to the pain. Opening a crimson eye, Yami looked towards the door that led to the balcony he shared with Yugi.

"Yugi's calling for me! I can hear him!" The Pharaoh sprinted towards the door and flung it over with great strength. He placed one hand on the marble railing and elegantly jumped over it. When his feet touched the ground, he saw Ryou and Malik frozen in fear and his heart tightened again.

"Pharaoh!" Malik cried. "Something pulled Yugi down! He's been there for over two minutes! You must save him!" The Egyptian told him once his lilac eyes connected with Yami's crimson ones. "Save Yugi, please!"

"Jounouchi is in there too! He's trying to save Yugi! Help him, save them both! They're running out of air!" Ryou cried, tears streaming down his face.

Yami didn't need to be told twice. In a split second, Yami took a great leap and dove, plunging himself in the blue water. / / I'm coming Yugi! / / Yami told his light, swimming as fast as he could.

* * *

><p>**Marik!**/

Lilac eyes snapped open and Marik sat up quickly. He turned his head to his side and his expression became absolutely thunderous. Throwing his covers off savagely, he then hopped to his feet and made a quick survey of the room before growling angrily. / / **Malik! Where are you, what's wrong?** / /

/**I'm outside! You must hurry!**/ Malik answered back frantically.

Marik made a mad dash for the balcony door and upon reaching it, he quickly threw it open. He ran to the railing and looked down, "Malik! I'm here, what's wrong?" He saw that Malik was standing beside Ryou and that the two were shaking. Before his light could reply, Marik swiftly jumped over the railing and landed on his two feet by their side.

Malik turned glossy eyes to him and Marik nearly bit his tongue at the expression of fear on his other self's face. "Something dragged Yugi down! Jounouchi swam in after him but it's been so long since the both of them had any air! The Pharaoh jumped in right after him but they need your help!" The blonde quickly turned towards his darkness and clutched at Marik's sleeveless black shirt, "Please Marik, you must help them!"

In a quick second, Marik made a heroic dive in the pool but the moment his whole body was submerged in the water, his skin began to tighten painfully. 'What the fuck!' He mentally said, feeling his muscles tensing up and burning. His skin began to burn and Marik let out a string of bubbles in discomfort.

"Ah!" Malik cried, falling to his knees as his arms clutched his torso again. His skin began to burn just as it had before and he struggled through the pain. He felt Ryou place an alarming hand on his back and he inwardly cursed.

"Malik, what's wrong?"

"I-It's that damn water! It must be affecting Marik the same way it did to us! Ah, shit! It's starting to burn again!" Unlike the bond between the other lights and darknesses, the bond between Malik and Marik was entirely different. Having been born from Malik, Marik felt essentially everything that Malik felt and vice versa. When one felt immense pain, so would the other. In a way, they shared one heart. "I-Its b-burning so m-much…I c-can't take it anymore…" He then slumped forward, his body shaking.

"Malik!" Ryou cried out in dismay.

Marik bit his tongue at the pain he was feeling but he dared not to give up. He knew he was stronger than this and he refused to let himself be weakened. He opened his eyes and saw Yugi, Jounouchi, and Yami but they seemed like miles away. 'I have to help them!' he stretched out his arms in another attempt to swim downwards but again, the inflammation of his skin returned. 'I am not weak!' he shouted in his head. He fought through the pain when suddenly something dawn on him. 'Fuck, Malik!' he violently cursed, he quickly swam out of the water and pulled him out.

His eyes were then met with Malik on the ground by the pool's edge with Ryou bent over him in worry. "Malik! Malik, I'm here!" He crawled over to his light and let out a series of labored breaths. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking. I didn't know you'd be burned as well." Marik said almost chokingly. Although he equally felt the scorching pain on his skin, he didn't want to show weakness in front of his light; he needed to be the stronger of the two.

Malik coughed but a small smile was evident on his face. "I-It's okay. I wasn't thinking either, thank you for trying." He sat up and rubbed his sore limbs as the pain began to dull away.

Marik, Malik, and Ryou turned back to the pool with looks of discomfort. "I hope they'll be okay." Ryou muttered softly.

* * *

><p>_Bakura!_/

The Thief King paused, his eyes looking around him. He had just gotten out of the shower and was currently throwing on the last of his clothes when suddenly his light's voice entered his mind. / / _Ryou? What's wrong? _/ / Bakura's lips curved into a frown at the despair in Ryou's voice. / / _What's happening? Are you alright?_ /

/_Come outside, please!_/

Bakura walked quickly to the balcony door and jumped over the railing. He briskly walked over to Marik, Malik, and Ryou whom were all huddled together. He made a mental note of Malik lying on the ground but before he could ask, he saw that all their expressions were grim. "What's happened?"

"Something dragged the Pharaoh's light down into the depths. He, and Jounouchi are currently under water and we can do nothing to save them." Marik told him gravely with a furrow of his brow. It was obvious that he was peeved at being unable to help.

Bakura looked alarmed. "What! That's absurd! Get out of my way." He growled out, pushing his friends out of the way so he could do something to help. He was about to jump into the water when an arm shot out and grabbed his forearm. Bakura didn't have to turn around to know who had grabbed him. "Unhand me Ryou, I have to try."

Ryou tightened his grip. "No, you'll get hurt just like we did when we tried to help. It's obvious that whatever's down there is determined to keep us separated."

One of Bakura's canines slipped past his lips but Ryou didn't even flinch, he only tightened his grip even more. "Let go." He said in a sharp staccato.

"I don't want you to get hurt, idiot!" Ryou screamed, eyes brimming with tears. "I already can't do anything to help Yugi, Jou, or Yami. I don't want to see you in pain." He stated tearfully.

Their eyes connected; hard light blue eyes met determined chocolate brown eyes.

Bakura could see the pain in his light's voice at being unable to help. He knew he shouldn't make things any harder than it already was but he cursed at how he couldn't do anything to help. "Fine," was all that the Thief King said, turning away from Ryou.

* * *

><p>A pair of sapphire blue eyes opened and Seto slowly rose up into a sitting position. He looked to his side and frowned at not seeing Jounouchi. "That's a little odd; it's very unusual for Katsuya to get up before me." He stretched out his stiff limbs when four bodies materialized around him.<p>

"_Master! You must come quickly!" _Aoi, one of his Blue Eyes White Dragons, urgently said. She and her sisters surrounded him, their wings flapping in alarm. "_It's Jounouchi, he's in trouble!_"

"What!" Kaiba shouted as he jumped to his feet. His eyes grew hard at the thought of his lover being in distress. "What's happened?" he demanded furiously.

"_Something dark and powerful has appeared! We must hurry! We must go outside!_" Kisara gravely told the brunette.

"_The bond between Master Jounouchi and I is weakening."_ Akai, Jou's Red Eye Black Dragon spirit, growled out. He was currently slumped over and held up by Kaiba's dragons. _"Seto, you must take me to him! I must help him_!" He struggled to flap his wing but failed miserably.

"_Seto!_" Itryu cried out. "_Hurry! I fear time is running out!_"

Kaiba wasted no time, he threw open the door to his balcony. 'I will not let that nightmare be a reality!' he thought triumphantly. 'A world without Katsuya Jounouchi by my side is not a world worth living in!' With the help of the four dragons around him, he gracefully descended to the ground. They surrounded him and carried him downwards before throwing their heads back. Loud, thundering roars sounded as the four dragons verbalized their fury.

"What the hell is going on? Where is Jounouchi?" Kaiba shouted.

"Something attacked Yugi and he went in to try to save him! Kaiba, you have to hurry! It's been nearly five minutes and they haven't been able to breathe!" Malik told him. "Yami is also there but you must help them, before it's too late!"

"_Seto! Hurry! Akai can barely hold on_!" Aoi, Kisara, and Itryu all screamed at him. The powerful Red Eyes Black Dragon let out a roar of pain as he fell to the ground, his tail swishing back and forth.

Kaiba made a move to jump into the water but Ryou's arm stopped him. "Seto, wait! You can't go! The water will burn your skin!" The white haired boy didn't want to see his friend in pain and so he desperately held onto the brunette's arm.

The millionaire turned to look over his shoulder and Ryou let out a gasp. Kaiba had looked at him with murderous, sapphire eyes – he wouldn't let anything stand in his way of saving his lover. With a defeated cry, Ryou let go.

A splash soon followed.

* * *

><p>Kaiba swam as fast as he could. Through the black smoke that enveloped his pool, he could see the outline of Yami swimming towards Yugi and Jounouchi. He quickly caught up with the Pharaoh and upon sharing a look with him, nodded in a determined fashion.<p>

The two swam, albeit as quickly as they could, both determined to save the ones they cared about. With each stroke of their arms, they got closer and closer to Yugi and Jou.

The smaller boy was struggling against whatever was holding him down while the blonde struggled to swim towards him. Jounouchi was almost completely out of air but he didn't care, he had to save his best friend. 'Stay strong, Yugi! I'm coming for you!' He thought to his best friend but it was to no avail. His vision began to darken and although he tried to keep them focused, he just couldn't. Jou was fighting a losing battle.

With out an outstretched hand, Jou reached forward in an attempt to clasp onto Yugi's. The tri-colored hair boy reacted and he too reached out a hand to his best friend. Their fingers were mere inches away from one another but they wouldn't give up. With every last ounce of his strength, Jou made another power kick of his legs and suddenly he felt Yugi's fingertips against his.

'Jounouchi!' Yugi cried out once he felt the blonde's skin against his.

'Yugi!' Jou cried back, moving again to pull the boy to him. Not even a second passed by before Jou's vision began to swim again. 'No, no, no! I'm so close! I-I have to save him!' His eyes became half lidded and he barely registered when a pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist.

Honey eyes closed, a string of bubbles appearing by his lips. 'Seto?' he weakly questioned.

'Itryu! Aoi! Kisara! Lend us your strength!' Kaiba thought to his precious dragons. His proud duel spirits then let out loud roars as Aoi, Kisara, and Itryu dove together into the pool. They flapped their mighty wings and being monsters of Shadow, they easily broke through the darkness and reached Jounouchi and Kaiba. Together, they outstretched the wings and bent their bodies towards the two, enveloping them in a ball of safe light. The dragons shield the two from the world as they ascended upwards out of the pool, cradling the two lovers between them.

"**No! The White Dragons! Curse them! I will be back for you, little Yugi!**" That same dark voice boomed before disappearing.

Their divine light shined brightly throughout the pool and Yugi shut his eyes quickly knowing that its intensity could blind him. The purity of the Blue Eyes White Dragon's light broke through the darkness and Yugi felt himself floating upwards. His eyes widened, 'I-I'm free!' he happily thought.

He looked upwards and saw a flash of crimson before his vision shut down. Yami cursed loudly in his head as he took the boys into his arms and rapidly swam to the surface. He swam fast and reached the surface, his mane of hair dripping wet with water. Yami pushed him up over the edge of the pool before pulling himself up.

Marik, Malik, Ryou, and Bakura backed away in their attempts to give the two some space and air. Kaiba was currently bringing Jounouchi back into consciousness by performing CPR on him in order to rid his lungs of water. A few seconds passed at the blonde coughed violently, his body convulsing. Jou was okay! Before the two could rejoice, Kaiba made his way over to Yugi so that he could perform CPR on him as well.

Yami's chest rose and fell at a fast rate as Yami panted in anticipation. He was in a state of panic; he needed to know if his partner was alive. He felt weak in the way that he couldn't help him and he could only watch as Kaiba did what he could to help him. / / Yugi please, don't give up! / /

After tilting the boy's head back, Kaiba pinched Yugi's nose closed and placed his mouth over Yugi's, giving him the breaths he needed to stay alive. He did this for many minutes but there was no response from Yugi. Determined, Kaiba kept going.

From his position on the ground, Jou angled his head so that he could watch for Yugi's reaction. He feared that smaller boy could not take the strain that his lungs had endured and he tearfully choked at the thought of losing his best friend.

"Oh Yugi." Ryou cried, tears streaming down his face. His shoulders began to shake but he paid it no mind. He didn't believe it; Yugi couldn't be dead, could he? He sobbed softly, watching anxiously. Bakura stared at him from the corner of his eyes and he frowned at the heartbreaking sight of his light. He placed a tan hand on Ryou's hip and pulled the boy to his side.

Ryou clung to him helplessly.

Marik stood in front of a now standing Malik and he could only watch in silence. He felt Malik press up against his back and the once spirit of the Millennium Rod closed his eyes in regret. Malik sniffed and wrapped his arms around Marik's waist from behind, burrowing his face in the middle of Marik's back. "Yugi…"

/ / Yugi, please wake up! Don't leave me, please! I need you! / / Yami screamed into their mental link, tears cascading down his face. He didn't even care that he was crying in front of his past enemies, all he could think about was Yugi. His mind began to swim with memories of the moments that he shared with Yugi. Memories like the duels he shared by Yugi's side, their nightly talks during tournaments, and then their most recent encounters together. His mind whirled with images of Yugi's face inching slowly towards his… The kiss that they had shared many weeks ago…

"Ack!" Yugi coughed, his body shaking violently.

"Yugi!" Ryou, Malik, Jou all cried. They all rushed to Yugi's side, crowding around him in worry. Yugi shut his eyes as he began coughing more, his lungs now being able to function again. His small body shook fragilely and he shivered.

Malik and Ryou clasped each of his hands, both look rejoiced. "Yugi, you're alright!" the white haired boy said, happily.

"We knew you would be!" Malik agreed with a smile on his face.

A pair of innocent amethyst eyes opened and Yugi looked around, seeing the faces of his face. He smiled at Malik and Ryou, "Thanks guys." The King of Games then turned to Jou and the second that his eyes locked with Jou's; he threw himself into Jou's waiting arms. "Jounouchi!" Yugi cried, burrowing his face in the crook of the blonde's neck.

Jou felt dampness on his bare shoulder and he responded by hugging the boy tighter. "I would never let anything happen to you, Yugi!" The two best friends embraced and Kaiba let out a relieved sigh, his lips curving into a smile. Bakura and Marik remained silent in respect, both watching intently at the scene before them.

"You saved me, thank you." Yugi said sincerely once he pulled away. "You never gave up on me, Jou. You are the best friend I could ever ask for." With another quick hug, Yugi launched himself over onto Seto. Wrapping his arms around the brunette's thin waist, Yugi bowed his head against Kaiba's lower chest. "And Seto, you saved me too! Thank you so much! I wouldn't be here without you."

The CEO nodded with a genuine smile. Kaiba briefly hugged Yugi with one of his arms in his own form of understanding. He quickly relinquished the boy to the waiting Pharaoh so that he could envelop Jounouchi in his arms. He bent his face, his lips inches away from Jou's ear. "Don't do stupid things like that again or I'll have to kill you." Kaiba threatened with a whisper so that only Jou could hear. The blue eyed man had his arms wrapped around Jou's waist tightly. "Don't fucking scare at me like that again, you dumb mutt. Stop being so selfish all the damn time."

Despite the violent words, Jounouchi knew better. Kaiba had his own way of showing his feelings and this was his way of showing him how much he loved his blonde boyfriend. "I'm sorry Seto." Jou apologized, wrapping his arms around his lover's neck. He pressed his lips against Kaiba's temple before traveling down to his lips. "Thank you for saving me." He said sincerely, placing a kiss on Kaiba's lips.

Over with Yugi and Yami, the two simply looked at one another in complete silence. Neither moved and neither one spoke until suddenly, Yami reached out a tan hand. At that exact moment, Yugi reached out his hand. The two clasped hands, tan meeting white and white meeting tan. The Pharaoh pulled the boy to his chest and wrapped his arms around him. "You're alive." He softly said, arms tightening. "You're alright."

Yugi wrapped his arms around his darkness's neck, settling into his lap comfortably. "I'm alright." He confirmed. Amethyst eyes connected with crimson ones and they noticed the ears evident in Yami's eyes. Reaching forward, Yugi rubbed his thumb over the new tears forming at the corners of Yami's eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that." He apologized almost inaudibly. "I didn't do it on purpose." He offered with a small smile. Without anymore words, the two embraced once again.

/ / I thought I lost you… / / Yami bitterly said.

/But you didn't, I'm right here. You saved me too, Yami. / /

/ / I was weak, I was almost too late… / /

/But you weren't and I'm right here. You've always saved me, every since I was a young boy. You've always been the one to protect me and you're still protecting me. You pulled me out of the depths and I will always be grateful for that. Thank you, my darkness/

And with that, a mutual understanding and perhaps a newfound feeling was formed. The two boys pulled away, but didn't let go. Satisfied, they turned to their friends with Yami pulling Yugi to his feet. "Thank you all for saving Yugi." Yami formally said.

"I owe you all everything." Both Yugi and Yami said in unison.

"We're just glad you're alright." Malik answered after he wiped his tears away with his arm. "We were so worried! We couldn't help either, it sucked." He said with a frown. "Speaking of which Yugi, –"

"Wait." Bakura halted and all eyes turned to him. "Perhaps we should all take a moment to freshen up. If anything, a moment to ourselves, then we'll get together and talk of the events that happened."

Everyone chimed in agreement and Kaiba was the one to speak up. "We shall do as Bakura says and meet back within half an hour in the sitting room, it would be best. Yugi will tell us what he saw. And," he added nervously. "There are some things that I feel I should discuss with all of you afterwards."

In response to Kaiba's words, Marik briefly looked downwards only to look up again, "As do I."

Bakura shifted uncomfortably. "Funny, I have something to discuss as well."

Yami looked around and his brow furrowed. "As do I, how odd."

They all were in agreement and in pairs of two, they dispersed to their respected rooms with the eerie thoughts of the morning's events. Kaiba had his arm wrapped around Jou's waist as they walked onwards. Marik had his light's hand in his hand with Malik following. Bakura and Ryou walked side by side in silence, neither looking at one another. And lastly, Yami carried Yugi by allowing the smaller boy to be given a piggyback ride.

* * *

><p>After freshening up, Kaiba and Jou were lying together on their monster sized bead. Kaiba was leaning against the headboard with Jou's head in his lap as the blonde laid comfortably in between his legs. Involuntarily, Kaiba would thread his fingers through Jou's soft blonde locks. "How are you feeling?" he asked.<p>

Jou shifted to his back, and reached up to run his fingers through Kaiba's hair. "I feel fine Seto, you don't have to keep asking." He knew his lover was just being cautious but Kaiba hadn't stopped asking since they made it back to their room. "Really Seto, I'm fine." To prove his point, Jou took a mighty intake of air and puffed out his chest.

Sapphire eyes only looked at him.

Jou then coughed slightly, his lungs still adjusting to be able to breathe normally again. He thumped his chest with a fist before shrugging sheepishly. "I swear Seto, I'm alright. If it wasn't for you and your dragons, I'd be…" he dared not finished his sentence.

"Don't say it." Kaiba silenced him also. "I don't even want to think about it. I'm just glad I got to you in time, I was scared I would be too late." The brunette muttered softly as he looked away.

"But you weren't." Jounouchi said cheerfully. "You saved me, thanks babe." He said, moving his hand to place at the back of Kaiba's neck. Bending his lover's head down whilst he himself pushed upwards, he kissed his lover. They kissed for several seconds before Jou lowered himself back down again.

"Is Akai okay?" The blonde questioned. "I shouldn't have put him through that, he must be so mad at me right now." He said, biting his lower lip.

Kaiba went back to leaning against the headboard. "It is fine; the girls are tending to him right now. They're healing him with their energy and I expect they've retired to the Shadow Realm."

"It's kind of crazy, huh? The power of the Blue Eyes White Dragons…" Jounouchi cheerfully said before he paused. He blinked repeatedly until he held his head. "Shit, I feel a headache coming."

"Too much thinking?" Kaiba asked teasingly.

"Something like that, I was trying to remember something I thought I heard." Jou then shrugged. "It was probably nothing important anyway." Glancing at the clock briefly, he snuggled closer to Kaiba. "We still got 10 more minutes; let me sleep till then, okay?" Jou asked, his eyes fluttering closed.

Kaiba merely hummed in response. 'I won't let that nightmare become a reality; I promise you that I will always protect you.' He thought, looking down at the sight of his sleeping lover.

* * *

><p>With some time left over before they needed to go downstairs, Yami and Yugi lied together in bed. The Pharaoh had his arms folded behind his head as a makeshift pillow while Yugi opted to rest his head on Yami's strong bicep. They two had been attached since they made it back upstairs as Yami wouldn't let his partner out of his sight.<p>

He was still feeling very protective of Yugi and then also wary of their surroundings. Yami didn't want anything else to happen to Yugi and so he wanted the smaller boy to constantly be beside him. Yugi didn't mind the clinginess of his darkness and to be honest, he didn't want to be alone either.

Yugi had a feeling what happened at the bottom of the pool but he knew he would share it with the others later when they all met in the sitting room. For now, he was content in lying by his darkness' side. The King of Games placed a hand on Yami's chest as he moved to lean his head against Yami's strong, muscled chest. "Thank you again for saving me." Yugi repeated.

"I will protect you with my life, I swear it." The Pharaoh promised, wrapping an arm around Yugi's small frame. "No harm will come to you while I'm still around."

Yugi's eyes glanced briefly at the small scratches on his ankles before smiling, knowing that those scratches would heal soon. "Thanks for being there Yami, you are my most precious friend." Suddenly feeling brave, Yugi grabbed Yami's chin and brought the tan face close to his.

Yami regarded his partner with a confused look but the feeling of Yugi's lips against made him forget. Before he could really response to the kiss, Yugi pulled away and closed his eyes, snuggling into the warmth of Yami's body. "It's our way of saying thank you, remember? Thanks again." Yugi said, with a soft sigh.

The Pharaoh let out a mental sigh, touching his still pulsating lips. That kiss was out of thanks? Oh right, that was how they showed their gratitude. Of course it wouldn't be anything less than platonic...

* * *

><p>"Is your skin feeling better?" Marik asked wisely, rubbing his thumb against Malik's wrist. After taking care of their morning necessities, the two Egyptians relaxed in their room. Currently, they were sitting across from one another on their bed.<p>

Malik smiled at his darkness. "Yes, it's all good now." He then ran a hand down Marik's forearm. "And yourself? How is your skin feeling? I hope it doesn't feel like its burning again, you were down there longer than I was."

Marik waved it off with a hand. "I'm fine as well, thank you for your concern." He said sincerely. Feeling forward, he took Malik's hand in his head and rubbed his thumb over Malik's thumb – almost as if he was caressing it. "I'm sorry for being so selfish, Malik. I didn't think that you would get hurt in the process."

Seeing how his darkness still felt guilty for his collapse, Malik only looked at him sympathetically. He leaned forward till his nose brushed Marik's, "It's alright, it isn't your fault. Thank you for trying to help them."

The spirit that had once inhabited the Millennium Ring nuzzled his nose against Malik's. "I am still sorry. I didn't want or intend to cause you any pain. I don't want you to think ill of me." Marik closed his eyes, a sigh escaping his lips. "I don't want you to see me as I was during Battle City; I want you to see me as I am now."

Malik was a bit taken back by this; he accepted that Marik had changed but he was just now learning of the insecurities his darkness had. His hated self had insecurities too – just he himself did. Marik never seemed more human to Malik than he did right at this moment. Knowing that his darkness was never one to show weakness, Malik commended Marik.

"Learning how to live is difficult isn't it?" Malik suddenly spoke up, causing Marik to snap his eyes open. "It's strange how easy it comes, doesn't it; caring about people." Malik smiled, lifting a hand to caress Marik's right cheek. "When you care about someone, you worry about them. You worry about what they might think of you, you worry if they're happy or if they're sad or even if they're thinking of you." His thumb caressed the area below Marik's eye.

Marik was beyond captivated by his light; all he could do was sit there and stare.

"When you care about someone, you want to protect them with your entire life. You'd do anything if it meant they were safe. When you care about someone, you feel concern." Malik finished his monologue with a small smile as he pulled back his hand and sat back down on his bed.

The pointy-haired boy stared hard into Malik's lilac eyes, lilac eyes almost identical to his own though they were still different. Malik's eyes had a glow to them, they were full of life, they sparkled when he was happy, watered when he cried, and slit when they were furious. His eyes were a window to his soul and Marik found himself wanting to read more.

He reached out his tan hand and placed it on the back of Malik's neck. The two remained like that for a minute before Malik's eyes grew light. "Are you going to kiss me now?" He asked, waiting for an answer.

Marik didn't reply, he simply leaned forward and touched his lips against Malik's. The taller boy gently pushed Malik downwards and Malik did as he was told, his back now touching the soft mattress. They kissed for what seemed like an eternity. Marik knew when to push forward and when to submit, kissing seemed to come natural to him. Pulling slightly on Malik's hair, Marik slipped his tongue inside Malik's mouth causing the small boy to let out a soft whimper.

The once spirit of the Millennium Rod then pulled away and trailed kisses down Malik's neck, pausing every now to suck and lick the sensitive skin. Malik gasped, writhing underneath Marik. Marik then stopped at Malik's pulse point and kissed it briefly. He raised his head so that his lips were inches away from Malik's ear, "I care about you. I care about you more than I care about anything else. I will protect you."

Pulling away, Marik returned to his sitting position, his eyes kind. Malik's cheeks were tinged pink and he looked a little flushed. "You care about me?" he asked and at his darkness' nod, he continued, "Why?"

"You will learn in time, Malik and I will also." Marik said. "We will both learn together." he added. He then stood to his feet and extended a hand. Malik graciously accepted it and was pulled to his feet. "Let us go downstairs to the sitting room; I expect the others will be arriving soon."

To say that Malik was confused was understatement. He and his darkness just kissed! Or maybe he was daydreaming that it happened? Lilac eyes looked at his and Marik's interlocking fingers before looking up. "So what happens from here?"

Marik only shrugged, walking out the door and pulling the smaller blonde with him.

"What are we?" Malik asked somewhat in a timid voice.

The spiky haired blonde turned to look over his shoulder at Malik as he wasn't even sure. "Something." He told Malik.

That seemed to suffice for now. They still had all the time in the world to learn what that something was.

* * *

><p>"Are you going to ignore me all morning?" Bakura irritably asked, crossing his arms. He and Ryou were located at opposites sides of the room and neither had spoken to each other. Actually truthfully, Bakura had been trying to talk to his light but Ryou refused to answer.<p>

It got to the point where it just pissed Bakura off.

"Well? Ryou, are you going to ignore me all morning?" Bakura asked again. He patiently waited for five seconds and upon being ignored again, the Thief King let out annoyed growl. "What did I do wrong? You've been ignoring me ever since the pool incident."

Ryou briefly glared at him before looking away again.

Bingo. "Is it because I tried to go in the water? Is it because I tried to refuse you?" The gray haired man asked, a fan appearing over his lower lip. "Because if it is, stop bitching about it. If it was you down there, I would've jumped down too."

The painter looked back sharply once he heard Bakura imply that he was 'bitching'. "Idiot." Ryou called. "Don't you understand what I feel? Do you think I want to see you burning up into a crisp? Do you think I want to see you in pain? Why do you think I didn't want you to go in?"

Bakura remained silent, allowing his light to vent.

"Marik tried to save them and he was nearly scorched too. Malik was in pain the entire time, but you didn't see that did you? Those two are connected, when one feels pain, the other does too. They're joined together by one heart." Ryou looked away. "We're joined by an invisible thread too, you know. By the mind: Can't you understand what I'm feeling? I know we're different than them but didn't you think I would be hurt too? Didn't you think it would hurt me to see you in pain?"

Again, Bakura remained silent.

"No? How utterly selfish of you, Bakura." Ryou walked forward and placed a hand on the doorknob but before he couldn't even turn it, the door slammed shut and a thud was heard. He turned around and was surprised to see Bakura standing over him. The Thief King was quick on his feet; he must have dashed over when Ryou was turned around. Bakura had his fist against the door above Ryou's head meaning he probably punched the door closed. The Thief King leaned his head down low till eyes met Ryou's.

"I was selfish, I'm sorry. I just wanted to do all that I could to erase that look off your face. I was willing to do anything to make it go away. I never want to see you like that again."

There was something in Ryou's eyes that wasn't there before or perhaps Bakura never noticed it. Losing himself in those endless pools of brown eyes, Bakura took a small step forward. He saw something, he was sure of it. Was it a flicker of hope? Fear? Happiness? Anger? Likeness? Whatever it was, Bakura couldn't even begin to understand it all, all he knew was that he wanted to find out.

"Bakura?" Ryou questioned, suddenly forgetting why he was mad at his darkness. Was it just him or was Bakura leaning in closer? Why does he lips seem to be getting closer? Losing all thought, Ryou's eyes fluttered closed.

The Tomb Robber leaned down till his lips were centimeters away form Ryou's, he couldn't almost feel his light's shallow breaths against his lips. His pastel blue eyes looked downwards to gaze at Ryou's mouth; they looked so soft and inviting. So soft and inviting… Bakura blinked before the he mentally sighed and straightened up. He took a step back and removed his fist, opting to unclench them.

Ryou sensed his darkness' retreat and frowned. "Are you alright?"

The Thief King nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry for being selfish. Thank you for setting me straight." He stepped away again. "Come, let us go downstairs." He extended a hand to lead his light downstairs and after a few seconds, Ryou accepted. Hand in hand, the two exited the room.

They didn't know it but both boys felt a sense of disappointment just then.

'I knew it…' Ryou thought bitterly.

'He deserves much more than I can give. He deserves someone…better than me.' Bakura thought bitterly.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes: I'm really sorry for making you all wait this long! I was really busy with finals in December and I had horrible writer's block for this chapter. I just didn't know what I wanted to get down this chapter. I pulled through and wrote it anyway! I hope it doesn't suck, I kind of feel like this chapter sucks. I wanted to show some more relationship growth with some other things. So, 3 out of 4 couples kissed this chapter. I'm sorry my Tendershipping loves :( I'll make it up to you I promise!<p>

It's 4:35 in the morning. I started at about 3000 words at like 10 pm and I almost was going to post this chapter with like 5000 words because for some reason, I couldn't get the number to go up. But, I pushed through. Does anyone else think that the length of time in that pool scene was really weird? What with all the semes appearing and then Jou and Yugi in the pool? Yeah? I thought so too...

Does this chapter even make sense? It's so late at night, I hope it made sense. Yes well, read and review! Tell me what you guys think. And thanks again for helping me pass the 50 review mark! Next goal is 100 but that's not for a while, I expect.

Final Pages: 20

Final Words: 10k

Final Characters: 45k


	8. Replenish

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! or its characters

Chapter: 8 "**Replenish**"

Author's Notes: Okay so maybe this time I will try and write a chapter at a reasonable hour. That way, less mistakes will be late and I'll get more sleep. I just felt really bad for not updating in a long ass time. I reread through the last chapter after I posted it and I laughed so hard at all the mistakes I made. Staying up till 4:30 AM to write a chapter leaves me crazy; I promise I won't do it again. This chapter might not make any sense – it's just the boys having a day off from all the craziness. Actually it might and then might not. The beginning of this chapter is dedicated to the plot but then the last half is why the chapter is called Replenish – it's the boys getting some R and R. I felt like the boys needed it and well, me too cause its nice to get away from the plot for a little while.

I'm listening to the Ballad of the Goddess backwards and it's blowing my mind right now. I love Legend of Zelda.

I apologize in advance for the events that later happen in this chapter. I have sunk so low. It makes no sense either, feel free to flame, its pretty cold out here, I could use the warmth :) Thank you to all that read and reviewed my last chapter! I love you guys: **crazyhikari**, **PiWrite**, **ilovemanicures**, **.Fortune**, **puffin**, and **CrystalFireExplosion**

Puffin: Pandora is that other Dark Magician user that Yugi and Yami had to duel in their second duel of Battle City! He was brainwashed by Malik to fight for him because Malik promised him that he'd be reunited with his wifey, Catherine. He wears that weird, white mask on his face. Pantomimer (Strings) is that mime Yugi and Yami duel in order to win Slifer the Executive Producer. I hope that helped!

Ilovemanicures: Thank you for pointing that out! Writing a chapter so late into the night had me writing complete garbage. I reread my last chapter and I practically laughed my ass off at some of the things I wrote.

CrystalFireExplosion: Hello, there! Which SK story was it? I abandoned writing a long time ago but I felt some sort of weird burst of inspiration for this one hahaha. Thank you for your kind words!

PiWrite: Noooo! School should always come first :) Grades are greater than this story for sure!

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><p>"Is everyone good and freshened up?" Kaiba's voice rang out throughout the sitting room. Everyone had gathered back together after the 30 minutes that were allowed and were all currently situated in the sitting room. The brunet sat in his usual leather armchair with his legs crossed, his right leg over his left. He had one elbow resting on the left arm of his chair with his head against his fist. Jounouchi sat on the right arm of Kaiba's chair, his legs thrown across his lover's lap. The two had been very attached from the moment they left their room or rather Kaiba was being extra clingy and so Jou was by his side.<p>

Marik sat on the floor in front of Kaiba and Jou with one leg bent at the knee and the other extended. He looked content as his lilac eyes glanced over at Malik fondly before looking away. The other Egyptian blonde was sitting beside Marik with his legs crossed Indian-style, back straight, and hands in his lap. His innocent eyes sparkled with a newfound feeling as he too made a quick glance at his darkness before looking away shyly. The kiss the two had shared was replaying in both of their minds and it seemed that both boys felt a little embarrassed about it. "We're good." Malik mumbled softly, speaking for himself and Marik.

"Yeah, we're fine too." Ryou agreed. He was sitting down by Marik's right with his legs pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. A frown marred his face as he let out an almost inaudible sigh and casted his eyes downwards. The Thief King leaned back against the side of Kaiba and Jou's armchair with his arms crossed and a frown was on his face too. Light blue eyes looked to Ryou's backside. Feeling eyes behind him, Ryou turned his head to look over his shoulder at the same time Bakura raised his eyes to meet his gaze. Their eyes connected for a brief second before they both looked away, an uncomfortable silence surrounding them.

"Yami and I are good too." Yugi said cheerily from his position on the leather couch. He sat like Malik with his legs crossed and his eyes were lively. Although his morning had been eventful, Yugi was not one to dwell on bad memories. He was the type of person to move forward without a backwards glance though he was determined to retell of the events that occurred. Yami on the other hand sat beside him with his arms crossed. His expression was hard and stern and his eyes did not betray his feelings. The feeling of Yugi's lips against his lingered on his lips and the sensation from that kiss remained in his mind. While Yugi was cheerful and nonchalant about the kiss they had shared, Yami was still haunted by what happened. How could someone kiss another without feeling anything? It was true that the two kisses earlier were out of thanks and necessity but this kiss was different in the way that Yami wanted more.

He wanted divulge more into this – whatever 'this' was anyway.

Why did Yugi kiss him so easily without any feeling at all? And why did he himself want more? Just when Yami was about to respond to Yugi's kiss, the smaller boy pulled away. Was this kiss truly out of gratitude? Maybe it was out of gratitude on Yugi's part but Yami felt like it could have been more and before he could even try to learn, Yugi fell out of his grasp. The Pharaoh was a logical man, he took things one step at a time and he was always willing to try but this time, even he didn't know the next step.

Whereas Yami was willing to explore and learn, Yugi avoided that particular subject like the plague.

It was like Yugi was afraid to even try while Yami was stuck trying.

"Pharaoh?" Bakura's voice suddenly rang throughout his head. The Egyptian King blinked and looked up and was met with many sets of eyes looking back at him. They must have noticed his distant demeanor. Yami cleared his throat uncomfortably and bowed his head in apology, "Yes, sorry."

Kaiba raised a brow and merely hummed. "Now that that's over with, I guess I should start." At everyone's signaling nods, he nodded back in a determined fashion. "Before we talk about what happened this morning, I wanted to take a moment to discuss with you all something that happened last night."

Jounouchi leaned in closer till his blonde hair brushed against Kaiba's forehead. Jou, in particular, was very interested in what the CEO had to say for he was concerned. His lover hadn't had a nightmare in a long time and whatever Kaiba had dreamt about certainly left him shaken. Last night Jou noticed how alarmed Kaiba looked just from seeing him laying beside him – his dream must have been pretty extreme for Kaiba to nearly have a panic attack. "Go on Seto, we're all listening." He encouraged, smoothing out Kaiba's bangs comfortingly.

The man merely cleared his throat, not use to verbally speaking his feelings in front of people. "I had this strange dream last night and it was probably the worst dream I ever had."

Yami, Bakura, and Marik all were taken back at Kaiba's mentioning of the word 'dream' for they all had terrifying dreams. Unbeknownst to them, they simultaneously leaned in closer to listen, waiting for the president of Kaiba Corporation to speak.

"What happened?" Yugi asked.

"In my dream, I woke up in my bedroom and everything seemed normal." He began before a grim look covered his face. "There was somebody in my bed and naturally, I assumed it was Jounouchi but that wasn't the case."

"Who the fu-!" Jou said, pulling back with a suspicious look in his eyes but Kaiba glared at him to be quiet. The blonde glared back ferociously, his lips curving into a frown. "Who the fuck were you dreaming about?" He repeated but this time fully. He knew this wasn't the time for an argument with Kaiba but the fact that Kaiba dreamt about another person didn't sit well with him.

Ignoring his fuming lover, Kaiba turned to face his friends with a tired expression. "It was Kisara; she was the one lying beside me." He said, closing his eyes briefly as his thoughts drifted to the fair skinned girl with long silvery hair.

The blonde then regarded his boyfriend with a confused look, his anger now forgotten. "What the hell? Kisara? Isn't that the girl Honda and I tried to save from being stoned when we went to Yami's memory world?"

"Yes, the very same," Kaiba nodded.

"Kisara," Yami repeated. "If I remember correctly, she was the young girl with the spirit of the Blue Eyes White Dragon." He briefly recalled the image of the girl that Priest Seth had brought to the palace one day, explaining to him that she held a powerful spirit within her.

"I dreamt that she and I were engaged." Kaiba uncomfortably explained, looking apologetic at the glare Jou threw at him. "I rejected it of course, I told her that Jounouchi was the one I loved but she didn't even know who Jounouchi was. The girl that my past self had loved, lying in my bed, it was so strange." Kaiba then noticed another glare and honestly, Kaiba was beginning to get tired of all the glares, "Give it a rest, mutt. It was only a dream."

"We're not even engaged." Jou mumbled, suddenly feeling touchy.

"Yet." Kaiba whispered so that only his lover could hear. And with that, Jounouchi was satisfied. With a grin, he nodded his head for Kaiba to continue. After all, every couple had their quarrels; it's just something that comes with the relationship.

"So what else happened?" Malik asked, tilting his head to the side.

Kaiba raised a pale hand to run it through his brown locks. "I heard this voice, it was dark and ominous and pretty shitty if you ask me."

Marik, Bakura, and Yami all widened their eyes in unison; they too heard a dark voice in their dreams. Something didn't seem right at all and the spirits that had once occupied the Millennium Items knew they had to share their dreams as well.

"It told me that it was showing me a life I could of have if Jou had not been born. It said that Kisara was the true one that I loved but that wasn't the case either. I acknowledge that Kisara was the girl my past self, Priest Seto, loved but I'm not Priest Seto." His eyes grew hard as he recalled the voice replacing him with the Priest. Although Kisara was the one his past self loved, the fact that she carried the spirit of the Blue Eyes White Dragon was the driving force behind his love for the dragon, not the girl. Priest Seto's feelings of love for Kisara transferred over to Seto Kaiba's love for the Blue Eyes White Dragon. "Anyway, the voice then starting telling me how a Millennium Item is created but who gives a shit?"

Yami and Bakura visibly stiffened and shared a look. Their connection to the Millennium Items was one of the main reasons that Bakura had detested the man so much. Kul Elna had been sacrificed so that all seven items could be made – it was ultimately a sore subject for the Thief King.

/ / _I certainly give a shit_ / / Bakura's voice cursed throughout Ryou's mind.

/…/ Ryou hadn't responded. He honestly still felt sadden from what had happened early between them. The kiss that he thought was coming didn't and the feelings he thought Bakura may have felt weren't there.

Bakura's heart clenched painfully at being ignored and he sighed mentally, knowing he was to blame. He knew why Ryou was upset with him but he couldn't do anything about it; Bakura didn't want to take something as precious as a first kiss away from Ryou. It's something so sacred that even Bakura didn't want to steal it – but it would've felt so right. A first kiss should be shared with someone Ryou cared about and loved.

"I certainly didn't give a shit," Kaiba continued. "I dreamt about this place called Kem and it was burning; the village was burning and the people were dying." His sapphire blue eyes casted themselves downwards and Kaiba let out a sigh. Sensing distress in his lover's voice, Jounouchi threaded his fingers through Kaiba's, interlocking them together.

"The voice told me that Akhenaden was making him another Millennium Item, one that would rival the Pharaoh's. Unlike the other seven, this item only needed one sacrifice and that sacrifice had to be from the purest of heart. What I then saw shook me to very core." He looked to the side and his eyes connected with those of honey. "I saw you." He chokingly said.

"Me?" Jou asked with a confused expression.

"Or rather, your past self; a boy named Jono. The voice told me that Akhenaden chose him to be the sacrifice for the item but something happened. Akhenaden apparently betrayed the voice's owner and tried to give it to Priest Seto. It told me that Jono's soul reincarnated itself to repent in the form of you, Katsuya Jounouchi. I saw you and you called out to me; you said to not let them kill you. If Jono hadn't been sacrificed, you would have never been born. And then, it told me you would be sacrificed again." Kaiba caressed Jou's hand with his thumb, his heart breaking at the thought of a life without Jou.

"Oh, Seto." The blonde lovingly called, leaning downwards to brush his lips against Kaiba's temple. "That doesn't matter; it's in the past. All that matters is that I'm here and you're here; we're both here together." He felt Kaiba's arms wrapped around his waist and finally, Jou understood why his lover woke up in such a sweat last night. A nightmare like that would shake anyone up.

"I fucking hated it." Kaiba cursed, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Seto." Ryou said sadly, reaching forward to rub Kaiba's knee comfortingly. The King of Games regarded his old rival with sad eyes, feeling sorry for the CEO.

Kaiba waved it off with a flick of his hand. "As Jou said, it was only a dream. I just thought I should share it with you all; it seemed strange, the voice I heard. Whosever voice I heard, it didn't seem normal – it almost seemed evil."

Bakura cleared his throat to get the attention of the others. "I also had a strange last night as well." His eyes were met with blank and confused stares from his friends and he grunted softly. "And like Kaiba, I too heard a voice." The once befuddled expressions now turned to shock; even Ryou looked concerned. The Tomb Robber averted his eyes to look up at the ceiling as he began to recite the events of his dream. "I dreamt that I ruled Egypt as their Pharaoh but I wouldn't call myself that. The city I ruled was that of thieves and I guess the correct term would be that I ruled Egypt as the Bandit King."

"Pharaoh?" Yami scoffed slightly as he said this to which Bakura just shrugged.

"Shut up Pharaoh, I wasn't finished." He easily retorted though this time, his voice was devoid of any malice. "In my dream, I witnessed a group of thieves gathered in the center of my city and so, I went to see why. Amongst that mob, I saw the body of a person with pale, white hair."

"Was it Kisara?" Kaiba hesitantly spoke up; knowing that Jounouchi probably sent another glare in his direction.

The man with the grey hair shook his head, his long hair tossing and turning as he did so. "No, it was not Kisara. It was actually Ryou that I saw or maybe it was his past self but all I know was that I wasn't going to just stand there and let a bunch of vile criminals hurt him." As he said this, Bakura fearlessly looked at Ryou, hoping that the smaller boy would understand his unspoken feelings.

"Why would I be there?" Ryou asked, suddenly looking skeptical. His only ties to Egypt were through Bakura because he inhabited the Millennium Ring. He and his darkness were two separate people in which Bakura's past self was the Thief King and well Ryou, Ryou was just Ryou. "Whatever bound me to Egypt now lies in you."

"As I said before, perhaps it was you in a previous life. Whether or not it was you or your past self, I know what I saw." Bakura said gruffly. He crossed his arms irritably. "Say what you will but I know what I saw." He further repeated himself.

Ryou made another attempt to retort but Marik held up his hand, silencing him. "Let the Tomb Robber continue, little one. He still has much to say." Malik's hated form looked at Ryou solemnly before turning his attention back to Bakura. "Continue, Bakura." He saw Bakura nod in thanks.

The painter merely huffed adorably, crossing his arms in slight anger as he did not like to be denied but he quieted down.

"I killed them all." Bakura said unemotionally, his voice nonchalant. It was almost as if killing a person met nothing to him but of course it didn't, he had killed many people before – it didn't faze him, changed or not. "I wasn't about to let them live for what they did to you, Ryou." Again, their eyes connected and Ryou frowned. He saw something in those eyes just as Bakura had seen something in his eyes.

'How could he look at me with those eyes and not feel anything for me at all?' Ryou sadly asked himself.

Since he wasn't one to respect a person's privacy, Bakura heard Ryou's thoughts. Although he had gotten slightly better at respecting it, he slipped a few times and would sometimes listen in on the ponderings of Ryou's mind. The Thief King heard his light's question and the walls around his heart cracked slightly. Shaking his head to rid them of thoughts on Ryou, Bakura looked back at his friends. "Anyway, I killed them and watched as their bodies incinerated till all that was left were their dying ashes." He laughed as he said this, his voice seemingly evil and sadistic but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. "I tried to help Ryou but he backed away and looked at me like I was some sort of monster. He backed away every single time I took a step forward – I just wanted to help. He hasn't looked at me like that since, well…for a long time." He lamely finished.

Yugi, Jou, and Malik sympathized with Ryou; they all knew of the harmful things Bakura had done to him. Six years ago, Bakura was just another villain bent on revenge – he was willing to do anything to accomplish his task even if it meant hurting another. To him, Ryou was just a vessel back then in which he could control. "It was just a dream." Malik softly reminded, wanting to comfort his old friend.

"Be that as it may, I never want to see that ever again. I can't even get that image of Ryou out of my head." Bakura growled out, his fangs appearing over his lips. "The voice told me that I would have to pay for what all the wrongs things I've done whether it by my life or the life of another." As he said this, Bakura eyes snapped back to look at Ryou, "I will do everything in my power to protect you, you know that don't you?"

The white haired man nodded. "Yes, I know."

"Do you think I've changed? Am I still the monster you once knew?" The Thief King asked, his brows furrowing slightly. He hoped Ryou didn't see in that way anymore, he wouldn't be able to bear it if he did. "Ryou?" Bakura asked again when the other didn't reply.

"You didn't care about me; you were willing to do anything to kill the Pharaoh even if it meant hurting me." Ryou said, looking at the folded hands in his lap. "I was nothing to you but a vessel, a host even. When you wanted to take control, you just did it. You didn't care at all about me, because of you, I had to keep switching schools. You sent all my friends to the Shadow Realm and so I switched schools to start anew only to have it happen all over again." Ryou courageously vented, his eyes hard and fists suddenly clenching. "You even stabbed me! You drew my blood so you could participate in Seto's tournament just to get the Millennium Items and you didn't even care that I got hurt in the process."

At this point, Malik looked away guilty only to be comforted by Marik who placed a hand on the small of his back. Although it might not have been much, Malik found huge comfort in his darkness' actions. Truth be told, he still hadn't forgiven himself for what he did to Ryou and their friends despite them telling him otherwise.

Bakura bowed his head in shame while the other boys watched on silently. "So it's true then, I am a monster."

Ryou looked up sharply at Bakura. "I never said that; don't start putting words in my mouth." He retorted quickly and Bakura bit his tongue. Ryou reached out and pulled Bakura closer to him and the Tomb Robber blinked, surprised at the boy's strength. "You aren't a monster. Granted, you were one but now you no different than I am. You're a human with human emotions – just like me and everyone else in this room. You're different than before and why do I know this? Because I know you as you are now, not of how you were. I'm not one to hold grudges Bakura, you know that." Ryou finished as Bakura looked up slowly. His eyes were met with kind, tender brown eyes that sparkled like starlight. Ryou liked this Bakura more than the past Bakura; that was for sure. 'You may not like me now Bakura, but I won't stop till you're mine' he thought cheerfully, making sure not to block Bakura this time so he would invade into his thoughts again. Recalling all those memories opened Ryou's eyes to how much he truly liked and cared about the Thief King. He was proud to say so now.

"Ryou, I'm so sorry. I know I can't –" Bakura began but Ryou shut him off, grabbing his chin. He apparently hadn't heard Ryou's mental confession.

"Shut up, you're so dramatic sometimes and you talk way too much." And with that, Ryou brought his lips to Bakura and kissed him forcefully. The painter harshly bit at Bakura's lower lip and drew blood, causing the Tomb Robber to moan appreciatively. Blood trickled down Bakura's chin but he didn't care, all he could focus on was the fantastic feeling of Ryou's lips against his own. He felt Ryou grip his shoulder, digging his nails into the fabric to which Bakura responded by growling lustfully. With one final and triumphant lick, Ryou pulled away, a smirk rivaling Bakura's plastered on his face. "I wouldn't kiss a monster, that's for sure."

By now, the other six boys all reacted in an array of ways. Yugi was covering his mouth with his hand while his eyes were wide with shock but his expression was rather playful. Yami sat there with his eyes wide and bugging out, he looked the most shocked out of all of them – did gentle Ryou really just make out with the Tomb Robber? Marik looked away somewhat awkwardly; he really didn't know what to make of the situation. Malik mirrored Yugi in the way that he covered his mouth but he did so with both hands, lilac eyes gleeful and lively. He never Ryou could be so forward! Jounouchi grinned approvingly, giving Ryou a thumbs up to which Ryou shyly accepted. Kaiba merely looked shocked; he didn't know Ryou could be so aggressive.

And Bakura? Well, Bakura only sat there, gawking like a fish.

Thousands and thousands of questions raced through his mind: Had Ryou really kissed him just now? And had Ryou really done so with such vigor and aggression? What the hell was up with that violent yet sexy bite? What the hell is going on?

"Say something, Tomb Robber." Yami gruffly told him once he recovered.

"Uh…" For once, Bakura was at a loss for words but what could he say? He certainly wouldn't say out loud how wonderful and right that kiss felt nor would he confess his feelings for Ryou in front of a whole crowd. Holding his head in his hand, he sent a small glare in his other self's direction. "I will deal with you later, my light."

Ryou only smiled knowingly. Bakura didn't know it, but Ryou knew how to tap into his thoughts as well. "I look forward to it, my darkness." He easily returned. With a cheery smile, he turned back to his friends whilst leaning against Bakura's side.

/ / _What the hell was that?_ / /

/ _I just made things easier, that's all. I can do it too you know, read your thoughts. I've learned throughout the years how to do it. I didn't know it before because you blocked it from me but when we kissed, I read your thoughts clearly. You do like me. There are times when I block you and there are times when I allow you to read my mind, I'm no so innocent like so long ago._ /

/ / _Sneaky little bitch, aren't you?_ / / Bakura muttered.

Ryou only giggled. _/ You're not the type of person that tells a person that you're fond of them and so, I did it for you. I told you before, didn't I? I won't stop till you're mine._ _I know you feel something for me and you know how I feel about you, why can't you just let it happen? _/

Bakura's glare then grew more intense. / / _I'm_ _not good enough for you, you know that!_ / /

Ryou fixed him with his own glare. / _No I don't! And frankly, I'm not good enough for you!_ /

That seemed to strike something. / / _So where does that leave us?_ / /

/ _You're not good enough for me and I'm not good enough for you and that means … / _Ryou trailed off.

/ / _We are perfect for each other_ / / Bakura finished, exhaling loudly. / / _Did this happen too fast? _/ /

Ryou closed his eyes briefly before opening up again. / _Love is not limited by time and space_ / He replied back, quoting Jounouchi from before.

Satisfied, the two ceased their mind link and everyone's attention was still on them. Uncomfortable with all the stares, Bakura glared again, wiping away the blood with his sleeve. Ryou just shrugged his shoulders, his eyes happy and dancing.

"Well that was a surprising term of events. Ryou, I didn't know you had it in you." Jou cooed, reaching down to ruffle the painter's hair. He was proud of the boy; Ryou had come a long way since Bakura's death and now reincarnation. The white haired boy learned how to stand up for what he believed in and what he believed in was Bakura.

"Are you finished then?" Marik asked suddenly.

"No, I've but one more thing to say." Bakura replied back. "In my dream, I felt something rip out my heart and it was the most excruciating thing I have ever felt in my whole lift – even more painful than my death. It was the strangest thing, how could a dream be so vivid?" Bakura asked, though to no one in particular. He felt Ryou let out a distressed sound and the Thief King placed a small kiss on top of Ryou's head. "Go ahead, my friend."

"Since you are finished, I suppose I should begin my story." The spiky haired blonde said, crossing his arms seriously. "In my dream, I dreamt I was with Malik sitting with our backs together. Our actions however were different, exact opposites of one another. When I looked up, Malik looked down and when Malik looked up, I looked down. We held hands just like this," He demonstrated, threading his fingers through Malik's. "But then, he disappeared. A voice, one that was also quite ominous, told me Malik was gone."

"What do you mean gone?" Kaiba questioned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"It told me that Malik was sent away and now I was the true son of Ishtar. It said I succeeded in controlling Malik so now the body belonged to me. It was like something out of this world; it took away from me everything that I needed. Despite my struggles, the voice told me that by my own doing, I wished away Malik from this world." He placed a hand over his heart where he felt warmth.

Marik, the bitter cold and Malik, the vibrant heat; together, they made warmth. With no heat, Marik was left with the cold.

The smaller Egyptian blonde watched with grave eyes as his darkness continued, his heart tugging slightly. He briefly remembered the grief-stricken look on Marik's face when he awoke after the nightmare and seeing the same expression now only caused him more agony.

"You disappeared right out of my chest and I could not do anything to save you."

"It was just a dream, Marik. Dreams usually don't happen." Malik offered. He nuzzled Marik's cheek with his own, rubbing against the skin affectionately. "Don't let something like that bother you, dreams are just images generated during sleep." Being a psychology student, he knew that dreams held much more meaning but he didn't want to say that, he just wanted to comfort his troubled other self.

"Anyhow, it's not something I want to experience again." He replied back tiredly.

"So in Seto, Bakura, and Marik's dream there was a voice that caused their dreams to happen. That voice was evident in every one of those dreams and guys; I think it's safe to assume it wasn't a coincidence." Yugi concluded, twiddling his thumbs.

"If I may, I still have something I would like to share." Yami cut in, holding up a hand as all eyes turned towards him. "It seems repetitive now but I also suffered from a nightmare with some strange voice." Crimson eyes closed briefly before reopening. "What is different about my dream is that I was in my past form as the Pharaoh of Egypt. I had no knowledge of anything during this time; all I knew were the things during the days of my reign. The voice called me a failed king for in the future, I fell to the darkness." Although he was not proud of what he did, Yami had moved on still. "I used the Seal of Orichalcos and because of that, I was called a foul-hearted king."

Yugi knew of his darkness' shame at what had happened that day when they had dueled Rafael, even Yugi himself was shocked. He never of the darkness in Yami's heart till that day but the King of Games knew better than that – Yami's heart was predominantly full of light. And so willingly, Yugi allowed his soul to be taken away so that he could protect Yami just as the Pharaoh had done so many times for him. "That was a long time ago, Yami." Yugi comforted with a small smile. "We've both moved on about that too."

"Yes, but this voice was not so forgiving. It told me I had disgraced the royal family's name and especially the namesake of my father. It made sure to punish me." Yami's eyes furrowed as he said this, his eyes thunderous at what he was about to say next. "I was attacked in my dream by a black mass. Whatever it was sunk its teeth into my skin till I literally saw and felt blood falling down my face."

The King of Games looked horrified. "So that's why you said you were bleeding."

The Pharaoh nodded. "Yes, that is exactly why. I saw the blood in my hands as easily as I see you all now; it's not something so easily explainable especially after Yugi said I wasn't bleeding."

"It's strange for all of you to have a dream at the same time with the same voice present." Ryou stated, with a tilt of his head. "We all established it wasn't a coincidence but there is no way to explain it."

Lilac eyes grew firm. "I have no doubt in my mind that the voice we all heard belonged to Anubis. It was he who caused us to have those dreams. How do I know this?" Marik asked, getting ready to support his claim. "The Pharaoh mentions a black mass with teeth sharp enough to rip into his flesh. Anubis can take the form of a spectral dog. The Tomb Robber stated that his heart was ripped out of his chest – Anubis was the God of the Dead, Afterlife and Embalmment. And lastly, who else could it be? The prophecy foretold of Anubis' return and my friends, this is finally it, he has indeed returned."

Everyone looked horrorstruck at the blonde Egyptian's words as the words sunk in but it all seemed to make sense now. Anubis was back and he was determined to make sure they all suffered. He also certainly wasted no time in making his presence known.

"I suppose we now know of four connections to Anubis, those connections being myself, Marik, Yami and Bakura." Kaiba concluded, rubbing his temples exhaustingly. "Though not for sure, we do have an agreement about how something in our life, past or present, causes Anubis to be tied to us. I'm just not sure what."

"Think about negative energy." Jounouchi spoke up. "Think back to the prophecy and what I said early, the Millennium Item stores negative energy generated by the holder. Think back guys, what did you or your past self do in order to store negative energy?"

Realization dawned on the three Egyptians now.

"I used the Seal of Orichalcos."

"I united with Zorc and tried to kill the Pharaoh so I could be."

"I misused the Shadows and tried to take away the Pharaoh's power so I could reign as king."

Looks of guilt crossed Yami, Bakura, and Marik's face and the once spirits of the Millennium Items lowered their heads in defeat. It was true, they had cause Anubis to return – it was their entire fault.

"Wait." Yugi stopped them. He turned his amethyst eyes to the CEO and president of Kaiba Corps. "You said four, what's the last one?"

"I am the fourth." Kaiba gravely told them. "Anubis is connected to Akhenaden who is connected to Priest Seto who is then connected to me. My past life is to be blamed for this, not I. I'm simply here because there is no present day Akhenaden unless you count Gozaburo Kaiba, my late step father." He said somewhat humorously, briefly recalling how he had driven the man to commit suicide. "And so because of all that, Anubis decided to extract his revenge on me, the only link left."

Kaiba's last words brought silence throughout the room as each of the boys took a moment for the truth to finally sink in. There was no avoiding it now, the prophecy was real and it was happening now.

"Shit."

All eyes turned to Yugi who had his head in his hands. He looked even more terrified than before but they all knew Yugi to be strong, he would rise to any challenge to protect his friends. It was one of the many admirable traits Yugi had.

"Yugi?" Yami asked, still not accustomed to his partner using such language. "What is it?"

The King of Games looked up, his eyes unfocused and a little hazy. "I'm the fifth connection. What happened this morning…what dragged me down into the pool – It was Anubis, I'm sure of it. I remember seeing a black, clawed hand. Spectral dogs have those, correct? That would explain this." Yugi said, unfolding his leg out so everyone could see the red gashes on his ankle form earlier. "That would explain why he was so hell bent on taking me down; he was trying to get to Yami through me. He knew that Yami would try and save me, he just probably didn't count on Jou being there too."

"If that's true, Jounouchi, Malik, and Ryou are definitely not safe." Kaiba furiously said. "Anubis will try to get to them too through us but we can't let that happen! I would rather die than let it happen." The last part was mainly meant for his lover but Kaiba was not one to abandon the people he cared.

Bakura then jumped to his feet. "Marik." He called. "We must leave. The Shadow Realm calls for us." He watched as Marik joined him and came to stand beside him. Placing a tan hand on the Thief King's strong shoulder, the blonde nodded in agreement.

"Let us go then, I expect more information will be made known." Marik dropped his hand as the two made a move to walk out of the sitting room in direction of the main hall.

"No, don't!" Malik cried out.

"Wait, don't go!" Ryou shouted.

Both Egyptians froze, turning their heads to look over their shoulders. They then saw the fearful eyes of the two people they cared about the most and it was enough to make their hearts tighten. They knew they had to go.

"Please, just this once. Stay here." Malik pleaded not only to Marik but to Bakura as well. "You've both done enough, just this one time, stay here with us – where it's safe."

"Please, stay." Ryou too begged, his hands clasped together in an almost praying manner. "If anything, do it for us."

"Do it for us." Malik repeated with a nod.

Marik and Bakura's eyes connected for a short span of time and the gray haired man sighed. "Malik, Ryou," he addressed them both. "You know we have to go. With all this new information, it's wrong not to go."

"You don't understand, little ones. We have to go. What Bakura and I do, we do for not only you two but for them as well." Marik said remorsefully, he didn't like being apart from Malik anymore than the other did but there were times when it needed to be done. "We do it to protect you all."

And with that, they both took a step forward.

/ _Please don't go, Bakura!_ / Ryou screamed desperately.

/ **Marik, please stay!** /

The two then froze again in their spot, eyes closed. They had to go, they both knew that. They both knew why they had to go but why was it so much harder to leave this time? Was it because they now knew of their lights' feelings for them? Whatever the case, Marik and Bakura knew they couldn't leave. With reluctant sighs, they walked back to the sitting room and reclaimed their spots.

/ _Thank you for staying, my darkness. _/ Ryou chimed, leaning forward to peck the Thief King's cheek fondly. Bakura's reaction was the wiping of his cheek with his sleeve as his eyes grew annoyed.

/ / _Yes, yes, but this is the only time_ _/ / _

/ **You stayed, thank you. **/ Malik smiled, planting a soft kiss on the back of Marik's shoulder. He leaned his head against his other self's strong back with a silly smile on his face.

/ / **What I do, I do for you and for us** / / Marik responded, using his left hand to caress Malik's cheek.

"Even the mightiest of warriors need their rest so that they may replenish their spirits." Yami commented. He too was relieved that the Marik and Bakura had decided to stay.

"Speaking of replenishing, I think we all need a bit of that, not just Bakura and Marik." Jounouchi suddenly said, his tone inviting and mischievous. Usually just the comic relief, Jou was more concerned about just getting everyone's mind off the subject of Anubis. They had all spent nearly three months on it – they needed all needed a break. They all dedicated their time trying to figure things out and with progression comes revitalization. Jounouchi enjoyed a good game every now and then but he noticed something very interesting. From the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of something small and purple and he mentally smirked at seeing it. He was determined to let it be known and he knew the perfect way how to let it be known.

"Jounouchi." Kaiba said warningly, knowing of the things Jou could do when he was being impish. He knew that look all too well, there were countless times when Jounouchi had rendered the powerful and sadistic CEO weak with just the alluring bat of his eyes and swing of his hips after some sensual whispering. Whereas Kaiba was persuasive physically, Jou was persuasive verbally. "Watch it…" The brunet made a move to push Jou off his lap but the blonde merely smirked and stood with a hand on his hip.

"Well everyone, what do you think? Will you take me up on my offer? I feel as though we need a bit of replenishment ourselves."

Yugi shared a look with Yami and the two smiled. "I think we do, we certainly deserve it don't we? We've been working like dogs! Oh," Yugi paused, blushing slightly, "Pun not intended." He was referring to Kaiba's use of pet names for the street-smart blonde.

Kaiba just smirked and Jou simply laughed, shrugging. "Yami and Yugi are in, who else? Bakura? Malik? Ryou? Marik?"

"What kinds of things did you have in mind?" Ryou asked, cheerfully. The white haired man was always looking forward to fun things to do with his friends. He would never pass up the chance to break away from the darkness of their earlier discussion. "I'm in for sure and honestly, my hands are tired from all the painting I've been doing."

"That's three for me, Seto!" Jounouchi reminded, poking his lover on the forehead. Even though he knew Kaiba would also be for his games, he loved messing with him. "You're losing!" He said with another poke until Kaiba reached up and flicked his finger against Jou's own forehead rather harshly. "Ow! Fuck, babe! Honestly, a forehead flick?" The blonde said whilst rubbing his forehead, his lips were curved downwards in a slight frown.

"You know better than that." Kaiba merely said, crossing his arms and regarding his boyfriend with another warning look.

Turning back to his friends, Jou lowered his hand. "Anyway, so what? You guys in?" He asked the remaining Egyptians.

"Ryou's in so I suppose I will to." Bakura said in a defeated tone. Beside him, the white haired man cheered to which Bakura rolled his eyes.

"Count me in, I'm up for any sort of distraction right now." Malik grinned, nodding. "What about you, Marik?" He asked, turned to look at the pointy haired blonde.

"I suppose so." Marik shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

"Yes! That's six for me, moneybags. You're either in or you're out, which do you pick?" Grinning knowingly, Jou leaned down to bite at the tip of Kaiba's ear, right at the cartilage. Suddenly, the brunet's pale face lit up like a tomato as the CEO blushed hotly. He shot out of his chair and covered his right ear, his face still burning.

"Bitch ass!" Kaiba violently swore, getting ready to punch his lover in the face but Jounouchi merely laughed it off and danced around him. "You are so dead, Jounouchi!" He shouted, arms now outstretched and aiming for the blonde's neck.

Out of the six boys, five had looks of confusions with the latter looking joyful. "Jou says Kaiba's ears are ticklish." Yugi explained, rocking back and forth against the couch as he watched the two lovers playfully fight. He grinned at their antics. "Apparently Seto's ears are really ticklish from the looks of it."

Oh, sure that explained a few things.

Kicks and punches were flying over at Kaiba and Jounouchi's side of the room until their scuffle finally died down with Jounouchi being the winner. He was currently sitting on the floor on top of Kaiba's back with the brunet's head in a headlock. "Seto says he'll play!" The blonde announced happily.

"You better get off me or I swear, I'll make sure you can't sit properly for a month." Kaiba murderously threatened, struggling against his lover's bind. Of all the things Kaiba had Jou beat, he still couldn't beat the street-wise blonde in a fight. "I guarantee it!"

Jounouchi snickered and hopped off his lover before turning back to his friends. "I'll be right back, wait right here!" And with that, the Red Eyes Black Dragon user scampered away.

"Where's he going?" Malik asked.

"The wine cellar." Kaiba answered, rubbing his temples tiredly. He knew he would be in for a long night; an intoxicated Katsuya Jounouchi was an overly fun one and Kaiba was not one for fun. "I suggest you all prepare yourself and I certainly hope you can all take your alcohol."

"Alcohol?" Several voices asked back.

The brunet merely shrugged. "You'll see." He only said.

Within five minutes, Jounouchi ran back into the sitting room with his arms filled with bottles of wine and shot glasses. He had a toothy grin on his face as he stumbled down into a sitting position, the bottles clinking loudly. "Alright everyone, we're going to play a fun game I like to call 'I never'!"

"What the hell?" Bakura blinked.

"Does it include Duel Monsters?" Yami asked. He received several stares from the boys in the room and he blushed slightly. "Sorry, I was just curious."

"Suddenly, I'm regretting my decision to play this game." Marik sighed.

Jounouchi frowned, his eyebrow twitching. "Hey! It's actually a lot of fun! I learned so much stuff about Seto from playing this game! Plus, this probably has to be Seto's favorite out of all our games." He said with another sly grin. "Okay so I'll explain the rules for Yami, Bakura, and Marik since they probably don't know how to play this game."

The Pharaoh held up a hand to silence Jou before turning to his partner. "Wait, you know how to play this?" he asked Yugi with a suspicious rising of his brow.

The King of Games shrugged his shoulders. "It's just a drinking game. I played this a couple of times with Jou, Seto, Malik, and Ryou when we hung out a couple times. It's just something to pass the time; it's quite fun actually, you can learn a lot of things about people."

Yami was still confused at the fact that Yugi participating in drinking alcohol, he didn't know his innocent light did things like that. Even the thought of Ryou drinking made his insides squirm – they had definitely changed in the many years he's been gone.

"Anyway," Jou called, resuming his speech. "Like Yugi said, it's a drinking game called 'I never' and it's basically a game to get to know the people around you. So the way to play is that one person says something true that they have never done and the people that have done it have to take a sip. While the main point is to get know people, it's also a good way to get people tipsy for some casual sex." Jounouchi grinned good-naturally.

The Egyptians saved for Malik all paled slightly, their eyes widening in shock. People actually played this game?

"You're joking right?" Bakura questioned.

The blonde simply smiled. "Maybe, but we'll just have to see. Don't worry guys! It'll be fun! How about we start off with ten shots each?" Before receiving any nods of agreement, Jou already began setting up the shot glasses. "I apologize in advance for the eminent hangovers tomorrow morning." Jou said with a sneaky grin.

Marik shared a wary look with the rest of his fellow Egyptians but Malik grinned back reassuringly. With a defeated sigh, he nodded. "Alright, let's play then."

And with that, the boys formed into a circle with the wine bottle in the middle and a shot glass in front of every person. Going clockwise, the order was Jounouchi, Kaiba, Bakura, Ryou, Malik, Marik, Yami, and then Yugi. They all had different reactions to the incoming game of 'I never' ; Yugi looked cheerful, Marik looked nervous, Yami looked bored, Bakura looked sly, Ryou looked excited, Malik looked joyful, Kaiba looked annoyed, and Jou looked ecstatic.

"Since I picked the game, I'll go first." Jounouchi said proudly. He touched a finger to his chin and tapped it thoughtfully, looking towards the sky for any source of inspiration. A few seconds later, he looked back to his friends and another wide grin spread upon his lips. "I never owned a Millennium Item."

Yugi, Yami, Marik, Malik, Bakura, and Ryou all took a sip. "Well that's a bit unfair." Yami mumbled, looking at his empty glass. He had mixed feelings about the alcoholic beverage he just drank – it had a tangy taste to it but it wasn't unpleasant.

Marik on the other hand had a look of disgust on his face. "That is vile, you people actually drink this shit?" He for one did not enjoy the taste of wine on his lips and tongue; it was like a foreign thing to him.

"It's not all that bad." Bakura shrugged, licking his lips slightly.

Jounouchi grinned at his friends and then turned towards the CEO. "It's your turn, babe."

The brunet looked impassively at his lover till he eventually smirked. "I never dressed up like a dog." Everyone knew he targeted Jou with that phrase and the blonde fumed at his lover's choice of phrase. Quietly but certainly angrily, Jou took a sip.

Yugi grinned at that and shared a look with his darkness who just winked back. They also found it funny as they both knew why Jou was forced to dress up like a dog. Malik, Ryou, Bakura and Marik looked terrified and they were too frightened to even ask why Jou dressed up like a dog – they assumed it had to be because of Kaiba's fondness for calling Jou dog related pet names.

/ / _They must have a pretty interesting sex life_ / / Bakura concluded.

/ _I don't even want to think about it! / _

_/ _**I'm actually a bit scared** /

/ / **It'd be wrong not to be scared** / /

Bakura took a moment to clear his head of bad thoughts in which he saw in his head, images of Jounouchi dressed up as a furry dog. Shaking his head slightly, Bakura recovered and cleared his throat, knowing it was his turn. "It's my turn, correct? To make things somewhat equal," as he said this, his eyes shifted over to Kaiba, "I never had a brother."

With a small growl, Kaiba took a sip.

Malik let out a little whine as he and Marik took another sip. "Shit, this is so unfair! How come everyone's questions are so cheap?" He irritably said.

They only laughed in returned.

"My turn, I suppose." Ryou called. He let out a small hum and his brows furrowed in concentration before relaxing. With a twinkle in his eyes, he had a devious little smirk on his face. "I never had sex."

"I'll happily drink to that!" Jounouchi shouted, raising his glass and clinking it with Kaiba's before downing it all down. Even Kaiba looked proud with his that smirk on his face. What was surprising was that Yugi also had taken a sip.

This caused quite a few shocked reactions, mainly from the boy's partner.

"What! Little Yugi isn't a virgin?" Marik hollered, laughing his ass off. For some reason, the thought of Yugi having had sex before was absolutely hysterical to him. Across from him, Bakura held his torso in his own laughter, his eyes closed from the hilarity of it all.

"Yugi!" Yami cried, looking probably the most shocked.

The boy had an adorable blush on his face and he raised an arm to hide his face but Jounouchi grinned knowingly and grabbed onto said arm to lower it. "It was back in high school! During senior year, I slept with Anzu(1)!" Burrowing his face in his hands, he willed them to look at something else and not him.

"What!" Malik exclaimed, reaching over to shake his friend. "Are you serious?"

/ / _She probably did all the work, don't you think? _/ / Bakura's voice humored.

/ _Bakura! That's horrible!_ / Ryou thought back slightly disgusted but even he'd be lying if he said he didn't initially think so too.

Yugi rolled his eyes and held up a hand. "In my defense, I was drunk off my own ass."

While that explained a few things and caused Marik and Bakura to settle down, Yami looked peeved. He didn't have anything against Anzu because even he knew of the girl's feelings for Yugi and even though she was bat-shit crazy when it came to him, the fact that Yugi and Anzu had sex still did not sit well with him. He crossed his tan arms, his brows furrowing in obvious annoyance. Anzu and Yugi? That just didn't make sense. The Pharaoh suddenly felt possessive of the smaller boy beside him but why?

/ What are you thinking so hard about, over there? / Yugi's innocent voice cut through his musing.

/ / Nothing, nothing at all. / / Yami replied back, trying to keep his tone impassive. He didn't want Yugi to know of his thoughts or of his sudden feelings of possessiveness. This was a new territory for them both and Yami knew he had to tread lightly to be able to learn more.

"That was a good one, good job Ryou." Kaiba commended, clapping the boy on the shoulder. The white haired boy gave the CEO a thumbs up in return.

"I'm up now then, right?" Malik asked and everyone nodded at him. "I need to get you all back for that since I'm losing so badly right now." He took a moment to think about a really good phrase to say. "I never bought a condom."

Kaiba, Jou, Yugi, and Ryou all took a sip. While Jou, Kaiba, and Yugi already explained why they had before, the fact that Ryou had bought a condom was a mystery to them all. Bakura was the most curious. "Wait, you've bought a condom before (2)?" Bakura asked, raising a brow.

Ryou nodded. "Yes, I have. One can never be too careful these days. I bought it to be safe in case I ever needed one." Ryou's answer spoke for itself, everyone need he was a polite and logical boy. They certainly didn't need spawns of Ryou running around Domino, did they?

"What about you, Malik? Why haven't you bought any? With your good looks, I thought you would have met plenty of girls." Yugi commented. Marik also was interested in the boy's questions. The pointy haired blonde had not been very predominant in Malik's life and so this question greatly interested him. He wanted to know of the things he had missed.

Malik gave his friend a spare-me look. "Do you guys really think I've had much need for one? I was raised in a tomb and was pretty much isolated from the world for years. I haven't had many interactions with men or women so there hasn't been a need to buy a condom. I returned to Egypt and came back to Domino for school; there hasn't been much time to focus on anything but school."

They merely nodded at that as they all knew of how much of a touchy subject Malik's early life was to him. His father had forbidden him from going outside in fear of losing his son's path to one not of his heritage and so because of that, Malik had been isolated for many years without human contact (aside from his family). Two sets of lilac eyes connected and Marik nodded solemnly at his light for he understood how painful Malik's life had been.

"Hold up." Jounouchi halted. "Let's go over the score so far so we all are on track. "So far, Marik, Malik, Ryou, Seto, Yugi and I all have had three drinks a piece. Bakura has had two and Yami is in the lead with just one."

The moment Jou stopped speaking, Bakura, Marik, and Kaiba instantly locked gazes. Their eyes connected and a bolt of lightning seemed to flash in their eyes. Without words, an agreement was made. They nodded in unison, determined to beat the Pharaoh – old rivalries never seem to die.

"It's your turn, Marik." Malik said cheerily, smiling at his darkness. Honestly, he had gotten over the whole ordeal with his father. He had even gotten over how Marik had killed their father. All that mattered to the blonde was his life now with his friends. "Think of a good one, okay?" he encouraged.

Marik honestly didn't even want to play this game; he didn't even like the taste of alcohol! As much as he didn't want to play, he knew he had to. Besides, what else could he do? "I never went back in time." He shrugged.

"Oh, that was a good one, Marik!" Malik cheered, clapping his hand excitedly. He knew for sure that the most of the others would get owned by that one. He grinned at his friends and raised his brows repeatedly. "Well everyone, drink up!"

Grumbling slightly, five boys raised their glasses and drank. The ones that did were Jou, Kaiba, Yugi, Bakura, and Yami. By now, some of the boys were beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol – some more than others. Jounouchi was laughing, his eyes closing as he did so and it was then established that Jounouchi was one of those overly happy drunks.

Yugi raised his hand in front of Jou's face and the two high-fived excitedly. Yugi Mutou, a high-fiving drunk, who would of thought? Kaiba however seemed the same as before and it was evident that the calm, collected CEO could hold his alcohol well. Malik and Ryou looked a little buzzed but they seemed fine. Marik and Bakura weren't even fazed.

"I never placed lower than 1st place in a tournament!" Yami suddenly shouted. With a victorious smirk, he watched as Kaiba, Jou, Bakura, Ryou, Marik, and Malik all took a shot. He knew that he'd be able get everyone but Yugi with that one!

This caused Kaiba too suddenly jump to his feet. He pointed a long, thin finger in front of Yami's face and the CEO was looking positively thunderous. "Yami! I will not let that one slide! My deck's coming out of retirement tonight; I challenge you to a duel!" He then turned towards Yugi. "After I'm through with him, I'm coming for you next!"

Yami just blinked confusingly. "Is this for real right now?" Yami asked. "I thought we were taking a break." Yugi on the other hand extended his hand out to Kaiba, wanting a high five. He let out a smile and cheer as Kaiba rolled his eyes and touched his hand to Yugi's briefly.

"No!" Bakura held up a hand as he too rose to his feet. "I will be the one to beat the Pharaoh! Pharaoh, I absolutely cannot let that stand! I challenge you to a duel!" Bakura wasn't drunk; he just didn't like being considered anything less than 2nd best.

"Are you going to challenge Yami too, Marik?" Ryou asked, leaning towards the Egyptian so he could hear him better over all the shouting. Malik's other self merely shrugged his shoulders and pushed his shot glass away.

"No, this time I will let it pass. I will beat the Pharaoh at another time – I would rather get this vile taste out of my mouth than duel him. I don't understand how you all can drink this shit." Marik cursed, wiping his mouth with his arm.

By now, Yami was also on his feet. He had his fists clenched and was currently butting heads with Bakura and Kaiba obviously due to their trash-talk earlier. It seemed that their rivalries with the Pharaoh would always be there and would never die. "Is that so? I'll take you both on at once!"

"Woah, woah, woah!" Jounouchi cried, holding up a hand in between the three. "Okay so maybe this game has gone on long enough. How about we move to another game?" Honestly, Jounouchi just wanted to get everyone a tiny bit tipsy because he knew all great things would come from tipsiness. And truth be told again, Jounouchi wasn't that drunk – just a tiny bit tipsy. "How about we play some Truth or Dare before we all go to bed?"

"Bed? Night hasn't even fallen yet." Bakura pointed out, plopping back down to sit next to Ryou.

Jou grinned. "Oh trust me; you'll all want to go to bed after this. It's better to get as much sleep as possible before the eminent hangover you'll all get cause then all you'll want to do is sleep!" Jounouchi made sure to explain the rules to Yami, Marik, and Bakura and he made sure to do so without laughing or grinning. Just like before, they hesitantly agreed. With murmurs of 'alright' the boys now transitioned to playing Truth or Dare. "We'll go in the same order, alright boys?" His honey eyes were then met with a series of nods. "Yugi, you can go first since you didn't get a chance to go at all last game."

"Sounds good with me!" Yugi grinned, giving Jou another high-five. Tipsy Yugi was definitely a happy one. "Jou, Truth or Dare?"

Jounouchi grinned. "You all know me, I go big! I say Dare!"

Yugi matched his grin with a sneaky one of his own. "I dare you to lick something of someone's for fifteen seconds straight and it absolutely cannot be Seto!"

"What!" Kaiba exclaimed, rising to stand again but Jounouchi pushed him down. The CEO was overly protective of his blonde boyfriend and he wasn't about to let Jou do such a thing. "I won't allow it."

"It's just a game, Seto, relax. Besides, I'll spend more than fifteen seconds licking whatever you want later." Jou hopelessly flirted, raising his eyebrows suggestively at his lover who in turn blinked before crossing his arms.

"In that case, carry on."

Yami look disturbed while Bakura and Marik pretended they hadn't heard. Yugi, Ryou, and Malik all laughed at the couple, they really were too cute sometimes. The spirits that had once occupied the Millennium Items seemed uncomfortable about what had just went on but neither one said anything about it.

"So it has to be someone that isn't Kaiba?" Jounouchi asked with a grin. Yugi merely nodded in response. The blonde's eyes scanned through the faces and his eyes settled on one man in particular. Jou then pounced forward – right on top of Marik.

"What the fuck!" Marik cursed, falling backwards against the carpet. He tried to push the blonde off but his hands froze at his sides at what was currently happening. Jounouchi had stayed true to his dare and not even Marik could resist the blonde. He was currently flicking his tongue back and forth against Marik's pulse point and the Egyptian couldn't help but growl lustfully. Anyone would react in such a way if they were in this position! It felt absolutely amazing and the spiky haired blonde could only think that Seto Kaiba was a lucky man. Jounouchi trailed down lower and kept on licking causing Marik to clench his fists. He angled his head to the side, looking towards Malik.

Almost as if he was sorry for what was happening.

Malik wasn't bothered for he knew that Marik was his and his alone and this was only a game after all. It was actually really sweet of Marik to be concerned about Malik. He simply watched on and gave his darkness a little smile, spreading his hands in a slight apology. "Sorry, Marik."

/ / **Traitor…!** / /

The CEO sat in his chair with an annoyed expression on his face. He wasn't worried about Jou either but he hated seeing his lover violating someone else's neck. Kaiba was counting down the fifteen seconds in his head and right at the last second; he grabbed Jounouchi by the collar and pulled the boy back roughly. "Fifteen seconds are up so stop defiling Marik's neck." With a final lick, Jounouchi allowed himself to be pulled back to Kaiba's side. "Stupid mutt." "Don't get use to it." Kaiba told Marik.

Jou turned his attention to Kaiba and stuck his tongue out. "Sorry babe, it won't happen again. I'll make it up to you later, I promise." And that seemed to suffice.

Marik was still recovering from Jou's dare and his chest rose and fell quickly. Sitting up, he placed a hand over his heck and panted slightly. "I should kill you for that." He growled out, brows furrowing. He made a move to grab the Millennium Rod but Malik captured his hand in his.

The blonde merely smirked. "You act as if you didn't enjoy it."

"I didn't." Marik replied back flatly, face set as always. Although he could admit that it felt good, it didn't mean anything to him. Without that feeling of love or attraction, it meant virtually nothing to him. What Jounouchi did to him only affected him on a physical level but Marik learned to only value the mental side of things. It would of meant more to him if Malik had been the one to do this to him. They did share a fondness for one another. And with that, Marik turned to face his light.

Malik raised a brow at his darkness and simply grinned at the look Marik gave him. He leaned forward to press a soft kiss to Marik's cheek to which the blonde accepted heartedly. "It's your turn now and please don't say anything overly sadistic if it's a Dare."

"Kaiba." Marik called, his lilac eyes connecting with those of sapphire blue. "Which do you choose Truth or Dare?"

"Knowing you, you'll probably make me do something insane so I'll wisely choose Truth." The CEO ran a hand through his hair, watching for Marik's reaction. The latter raised his brow amusingly before crossing his arms.

"Well, aren't you playing it safe? Fine, if you had to have a threesome with two people in this room, who would it be? It also cannot be Jounouchi."

"Yeah, Seto, who would you choose? I am greatly interested." Jou grinned, poking his lover in the side. The president of Kaiba Corporation frowned and cleared his throat uncomfortably. His eyes shot over to Jou and the blonde bowed his head in response; he didn't need words to know what Kaiba was asking – it was if it was truly okay for him to say.

"I suppose it would be Yami and Ryou." Kaiba confessed with a blush, his face tingeing pink. He picked Ryou for his beautiful childlike innocence and the Pharaoh because even he could admit that the Pharaoh was physically appealing. Ryou grinned because he wasn't too bothered with Kaiba's confession; he and the CEO were after all very good friends. Yami just looked a little disturbed, he never knew Kaiba saw him like that and he almost cringed at the thought.

A growl emitted from Bakura's throat as he quickly pulled Ryou to his side, suddenly feeling protective. Yami mimicked the Thief King and brought Yugi to lean by his side. While Ryou accepted his darkness' action with a smile, Yugi merely looked content. "This is a pretty big 'if' I hope you remember." The gray haired man said with a tense brow.

"And that's all it'll ever be." Kaiba easily retorted. Moving on quickly, he turned his eyes to everyone in the room. "This is for Malik; Truth or Dare?"

"Dare, I guess." Malik shrugged.

"I dare you to call Anzu right now and talk to her about friendship until she decides to hang up." Kaiba said with an evil smirk, knowing how the girl could go on and on about friendship.

Malik's face turned white. "Do I really have to? You all know I can barely hold a conversation with her without wanting to gouge my eyes out, its not that I don't like her, its just she really gets into it sometimes."

Kaiba reached into the pocket of his trench coat, fished out his Blackberry and threw it to the Egyptian. He fumbled with it before he caught it and with another glare in Kaiba's direction, regrettably dialed her number. Malik definitely was not looking forward to this.

"Seto, why do you have Anzu's number in your phone?" Ryou asked, uncomfortably. "I didn't think you two were actually friends."

"It's just in the address book in case Jounouchi loses her number." He raised a hand to silence everyone so that he could hear the conversation Malik would have with Anzu.

"_Hello? Seto Kaiba, are you actually calling me?"_

Malik let out a mental whine in his head to which Marik rubbed his hip comfortingly. "Um no, it's actually me, Malik."

"_What? Why couldn't you have just used your own phone?"_

"Well, because I -"

"_What is it, Malik?_"

"What do you think about um, friendship?" He awkwardly asked.

"_Are we really having this discussion right now? What's going on?_" She asked, her voice suddenly suspicious.

"Yes, I want to talk to you about friendship. What do you think about it? Do you, um, like it?"

"_Friendship is what drives our friends to do the things they do. It's important for every person to feel the value of friendship, happy now? If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to dance practice._" And with that she hung up.

Malik shakily handed Kaiba back his phone and cowered to Marik's side. "I never want to do that again. I was almost thinking about reaching for my Millennium Rod to stab myself in the eye." Marik leaned his face close to Malik's ear and whispered soothing nothings into his ear. "Kaiba, you are truly a sadistic man." He said with a shiver.

"Thank you." Kaiba said sincerely.

"I guess it's my turn now." Malik said with a tilt of his head. "Ryou." He called, turning to face his best friend. "Truth or Dare?"

"I'll go with Dare." He said confidently.

"I dare you to get blindfolded and kiss or lick five things I pick." Malik said with a toothy grin. He was beginning to get really into this game but that might have been because of all the alcohol he had drank.

"Sure!" Ryou smiled. He took off his light blue jacket and with the help of Bakura, wrapped it around his head. Bakura made sure that it was snug and not too tight, just enough so that Ryou wouldn't be able to see. The painter gave his friends a nod, signaling that he was ready. "Let's do it."

/ / _I don't like this dare_ / / Bakura growled out.

/_ It's just for fun!_ /

Malik raised a finger to his lips and puckered his lips slightly, telling everyone to silence themselves so that Ryou wouldn't know who or what Malik would choose to have Ryou lick or kiss. With a finger, he beckoned Yugi over and the King of Games came forward with a shy smile. "Kiss him." Malik ordered.

Yugi bit his lower lip bashfully and crawled over to Ryou. Avoiding Bakura's glaring eyes; he reached up and brought Ryou's face lower. The white haired man responded kindly and allowed Yugi to do so. The two kissed softly with Yugi's thumb caressing Ryou's cheek.

Yami and Bakura watched in fury, obviously not liking what they were seeing. The Thief King did particularly enjoy seeing his newfound romantic interest kissing the mini-Pharaoh. Yami on the hand just didn't like seeing Yugi kissing anyone, innocent or not.

Yugi pulled away with a gasp and face was completely flushed. Shooting an embarrassing glance at everyone, Yugi sunk back to his position beside Yami. The smaller boy noticed his darkness' tense shoulders and turning to look at him briefly, Yugi raised a brow.

/ You okay? /

/ / Just delightful / / Yami asked flatly, crossing his arms somewhat annoyingly. He ignored the suspicious look Yugi gave him for his head was whirling with ponderings. Why was he suddenly getting so overprotective over these mindless kisses? Or were these feelings of jealousy? 'It's because he is my partner, that's all' his mind race but was that really it?

"Kaiba, come here." Malik mouthed, waving the CEO over. Knowing he had to, Kaiba made his way over, his face looking somewhat uncomfortable. With careful hands, Malik began taking off Kaiba's long, white trench coat. Jounouchi covered his mouth to stifle his laughter at how awkward Kaiba looked being undressed by the blonde Egyptian. Malik tugged on the edge of the CEO's long, black shirt and Kaiba sighed softly. He held a hand to halt Malik's movement so that he could remove it himself.

Malik shifted over to Ryou and guided the boy over to a now shirtless Seto Kaiba. "Go ahead Ryou, lick and kiss to your heart's content." Ryou smiled tightly and leaned closer, sticking his tongue out to lick the skin. Due to his study of the human body, having had to paint or sketch it several times, Ryou deduced that he was licking the chest of a person. But the burning question in his mind was, whose chest did it belong to? Kaiba's fists began to shake as he suppressed back the sounds he was dying to let out; Ryou really knew what he was doing.

"Calm yourself, Tomb Robber." Marik whispered to Bakura so that only he could. "You know this means nothing to him." Malik had not been worried when he saw what Jou did to Marik because the smaller Egyptian knew that it meant virtually nothing to his darkness. Just the same, Marik wouldn't get jealous over something like that. "Kaiba's boy isn't jealous at all, just look at him."

Bakura shot his friend a glare before looking at Jou. He was still trying to hold in his laughter, he loved seeing his lover so uncomfortable. "It's not that easy, Tomb Keeper. They've known about each other's feelings for years; I've only just learned of Ryou's. It's hard to see him performing something that I would want him to do to me!"

"Calm yourself." Marik only said again, twirling the Millennium Rod that he had taken back from Malik fondly.

The CEO had enough by now and took a step back. His face was flushed and he raised shaking arms to begin dressing himself. He would be lying if he said he hadn't just enjoyed what Ryou had just done. "I know what you're doing Katsuya and I can't believe we have to go through this just to prove your point." Kaiba angrily whispered to his lover who just raised his eyebrows innocently.

"I don't know what you mean, Seto!"

Malik looked back to his friends and his eyes then settled on Yami. "Come here, Pharaoh." He mouthed again, grinning.

"No." Yami said flatly. He then felt hands pushing against his back and when he turned his face to look over his shoulder, he saw Yugi doing so. "Yugi, I'm not about to do this!" He growled out, still making sure to keep his voice low so that Ryou would not hear.

"Just do it!" Yugi grinned.

Sighing, but allowing himself to be pushed forward, Yami walked forward only to crouch down to Ryou's level. "Kiss him!" Malik diabolically said, knowing full well that Bakura would flip shit if he saw Ryou kissing his greatest enemy.

"Over my dead fucking body!" Bakura shouted, standing up and clenching his fists. He was about to let Ryou kiss the Pharaoh! Ryou mentally sighed, figuring out it was probably the Pharaoh that he had to fulfill his dare on – whom else would Bakura be so against him kissing or licking?

"It's just a game, Bakura." Ryou said, lifting up his blindfold to look at his darkness who was currently fuming. "It doesn't really mean anything to me."

"I don't give a shit, I'm not about to let you kiss the Pharaoh! Anyone but him would still be somewhat okay!"

"Alright, alright. Ryou's dare is over." Malik cut in, not wanting to a fight to start just because he briefly returned to his sadistic side. "Ryou, you can go now." He watched as the white haired boy removed his light blue jacket and threw it back on.

"Can I ask a Truth for everyone?" He asked, stroking his chin thoughtfully. At everyone's nod, he shrugged sheepishly and smiled. "What is everyone's sexual preference? I'm kind of just curious. Oh, and explain why too." Ryou then placed a hand on his chest. "Like for me, I'm gay. I usually don't interact with many other girls and Anzu doesn't really count either. I had to transfer schools a lot too so I never made friends with other girls. I've always been around guys and I guess that's how it started." It made sense.

"I'm gay too; it's like what I said earlier. I was hidden from the world and didn't have time for things like relationships. Rishid was always there with me so I guess that's kind of how it started. I got use to Rishid being in my life, it didn't even occur to me since we were brothers but later on, I figured out that I found more comfort in guys than girls." Malik explained, shrugging.

"You also really like showing off your midriff." Ryou grinned, hugging the blonde around the waist. Malik chuckled and returned the hug.

"I wouldn't label myself as anything." Marik spoke up. "It doesn't matter to me what sex or gender a person is, all that really matters is what I feel for the person, male or female." He said finally.

/ **Well aren't you adorable?** /

/ / **Shut up.** / /

"I'm bisexual; I kind of just go with the flow. It doesn't really matter to me what sex the person is either cause I mean, I did sleep with Anzu. At the same time, I'm fine kissing a guy." Yugi said.

"I have no preference." Yami stated. "I barely interact with other women as it is and I distinctly remember feeling very awkward that one time Rebecca hugged me (3). With men, I'm also impartial as I lacked a body for many years."

"I am the same however I do a special fondness for Ryou." Bakura merely said, reaching his arm out to wrap it around Ryou's waist who accepted it cutely.

"Kaiba turned me gay." Jounouchi accused, pointing a teasing finger at his lover.

"He brainwashed me." Kaiba equally returned.

But anyone could see that they were just kidding, Jounouchi and Kaiba loved each other very much. They both had their own way of showing their love and affection for one another; one of those ways included insulting one another. The others laughed at their behavior and Jounouchi blew a kiss to his boyfriend who gave him the finger.

Yugi then let out a loud yawn and rubbed his eyes with a closed fist. "Is anyone else feeling a bit tired?" The boys all nodded, after all, they had been playing these games for several hours now and night was just being to fall.

"A couple more Yugi, then we'll tuck in for the night." Jounouchi grinned. He still wasn't able to get what he wanted accomplished yet so he was determined to have his friends stick around till he did so. "I have a good one, let me go! Malik!" Jou called, pointing a finger at the tanned Egyptian. "Truth or Dare! Quick, pick Truth!"

"Um, truth?" Malik hesitantly asked.

"When and how did you get that hickey there?" Jounouchi cornered, jabbing a finger in front of Malik's face. Yes! He was so close!

"What hickey?" Malik questioned, giving the other blonde a strange look. "I don't have a hickey." The other boys followed the direction of Jou's finger and let out gasps of surprise saved for Marik of course.

"You do have a hickey, Malik!" Yugi asked, covering his mouth to hush his laughter.

"Look for yourself!" Ryou cried, taking out his phone and turning over so he could show Malik's reflection to him. Sure enough, a small but very noticeable purple mark was evident on Malik's neck. It had been concealed by his long hair but Jou was now a very detailed-oriented person and noticed it right away. Malik took the phone and angled it, his lilac eyes widening when he saw the distinct mark.

"Marik!" Malik exclaimed, shooting his darkness a dirty look. Marik simply raised a brow and leaned in closer to get a better look. His lilac eyes, ones almost identical to that of his other self, found the mark easily and the Egyptian nodded, proudly. "It must have been from earlier…" Malik trailed off, his face pink with embarrassment.

"I thought so." Jou grinned. "So you guys were fooling around a bit, huh? I was just curious." The blonde's grin only widened at Malik's small whine. Lifting a finger, he poked at Malik's forehead teasingly. "Thanks for clearing things up for me."

"Mutt, that's enough for now. These games have gone on long enough; I wish to go to bed. You need to keep up your end of the bargain." Kaiba said unemotionally before standing up. He reached out a hand and picked the boy up by the collar just like before and it was astonishing how easily Kaiba lifted him. Although Jou struggled, Kaiba kept on walking. "Goodnight everyone." And with that, the two disappeared.

"We better go too." Yugi said. "Hangovers are not never fun." He jumped to his feet and nodded in the direction of the door before walking. "Come on Yami, let's go." He paused at the doorway and looked to his friends, "Goodnight guys! See you in the morning!" Without checking to see if the Pharaoh was following him, Yugi left the room.

Yami sighed and tiredly stood to his feet. "Things have changed." He concluded. He needed to talk to Yugi about what happened tonight – he needed to know why Yugi was so keen on avoiding the subject and he was determined to find out. He bowed his head in a polite farewell and followed his light to their room.

"Stranger things have happened, don't you think?" Ryou asked his best friend as he rocked back and forth. That much was true; due to today's events, he confessed his feelings for Bakura and in a way, Bakura did so too. They just didn't know where to go from here – Bakura didn't seem like the romantic type.

"I agree." Malik nodded. Based on what happened during their drinking games, he had learned of Marik's heart. Although they had indeed shared one heart, this was really the first time that Malik learned of his darkness' feelings. It astounded him how someone he hated so much became so important to him now. Marik was learning and he was doing all the right things – what really impressed Malik was how his stronger self had sought his forgiveness during Jou's dare. "They're all good things, don't you think?"

"Yes." Ryou smiled, sneaking a glance to Bakura who was currently conversing with Marik quietly, their heads bent together. They were probably discussing the details of their next visit to the Shadow Realm. "Are you happy?" He asked softly.

Malik's eyes drifted over to his handsome other self and he watched Marik's face closely. He noticed the smallest of things in his darkness but to him, they meant the world. Although they had only just confessed their mutual attraction, Malik was confident that the feelings he was feeling for his darkness were real and right. "I am very happy." Malik said his tone light. "Are you?"

"Yes, happier than I have been in years." Ryou confessed. "It's been a long day, let's go to bed." At Malik's nod, the two stood to their feet and both looked down at the two Egyptians huddled together. "Bakura, Marik, we're going to bed now."

"Are you guys coming?" Malik asked, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear.

Bakura turned towards the pointy haired Egyptian briefly. "We shall continue this discussion tomorrow, is that understood?"

Marik nodded solemnly. "It is fine. Sleep well." Together, the four boys left the sitting room, mounted the stairs, bid their goodnights, and disappeared into their respective rooms.

* * *

><p>"You need to stop interfering." Kaiba commented lightly, as he turned away from his lover in bed. His sleek chest flexed with every moment he made and Jounouchi took a moment to admire the strong back.<p>

"I'm not interfering, just helping." The blonde replied back, throwing his leg over Kaiba's. He pressed himself up against his lover's back and tenderly, he touched his lips to the back of Kaiba's neck. "I just want to see them happy so I gave them a little push. This whole Anubis thing is so shitty; I wanted the others to have someone to turn to just like I have you. And hey, because of it, Malik and Ryou now have Bakura and Marik."

"What of Yugi and Yami?" Kaiba wisely asked. "I think you only made things harder for them."

Jounouchi let out a little whine at that. "I was hoping you didn't think that. I don't know Seto, I want my best friend to be happy too. He's the best person in the whole world and I just want what's best for him. Who better than the Pharaoh, you know? I know that deep down, he'll grow to love Yami too. Earlier this morning, he told me that he was scared of pursuing a relationship because Yami wasn't anything more than a brother to him."

"Ah, the friend zone, what an awful place to be." Kaiba amusingly inquired.

"Yeah, that. Yugi is just a little scared of taking another step forward in his life. He's terrified of losing what he already has with Yami and he thinks that with a relationship, he'll lose what they have. But don't you see, Seto? They can turn that everlasting friendship of theirs into an everlasting relationship! Yugi just needs to let go."

"What makes you think Yugi or Yami even feel anything for each other" Kaiba asked in matter-of-factly, his brows furrowing slightly as he turned back around to look at Jounouchi so now they were facing each other.

"Didn't you see Yami today? He got so jealous when Yugi and Ryou kissed! If that's not love, I don't know what is." He grinned, nuzzling his nose against Kaiba's to which the brunet rolled his eyes. "I mean, it's too early to tell if its love of course." He said realistically. "I just think that there's something that we can build upon, at least in Yami's case."

That seemed to win Kaiba over for he nodded. "Sure, pup. Whatever gets you to sleep at night is fine with me. Now can we please go to bed? I feel a migraine hitting soon." Sapphire eyes fluttered closed and the CEO felt Jounouchi wrap an arm around his neck. "One more thing, Katsuya." Kaiba paused. "If you ever do that to Marik again, I would personally cut your tongue off." He felt Jou smile against his neck.

"Say goodbye to blowjobs then." He retorted humorously.

* * *

><p>"You could have just told me, you know." Ryou said, climbing to bed and sliding under the covers. He watched as his darkness threw off his red robe and crossed his arms. "I mean I didn't realize that you might have felt the same way until earlier when you let your guard down allowing me to read your thoughts."<p>

"I still don't think I'm good enough for you, Ryou." Bakura sighed, getting into bed. He crossed his arms behind his head and looked down when he saw a mane of white hair invade his space. Ryou must have been resting his head on the crook of his arm. "I'm nothing but a murderous, petty thief."

"You're the King of Thieves, aren't you?"

"That was a long time ago. I'm not a King anymore."

"You're the King of my heart now." Ryou mumbled, involuntarily nuzzling his face against Bakura's tan chest.

The Thief King blinked before a small blush colored his face. With a click of his tongue, he rolled his eyes. "Don't say things you don't mean." It was obvious that the great Thief King Bakura was embarrassed. "I'm not good enough." He whispered.

"Are you still going on about that? Stop it, you're being an idiot."

"Why the hell do you keep calling me an idiot?"

"You're acting like one, that's why. Why can't you just accept my feelings for you?"

"I don't deserve them." Bakura growled out, turning his face away. "You even said it yourself; I did so many horrible things to you."

"I also said that I wasn't going to stop till you were mine, why didn't you pay attention to that part?"

"Not important." Bakura said, waving it off with his hand. He then let out another dramatic sigh and placed a hand on Ryou's chin. Using a gentle finger, Bakura lifted the boy's face to look at him. "You are sure?"

"Positive." Ryou smiled. "There is never any harm in trying. I'm willing to try, aren't you? I've never really done this before so I can't guarantee that I'll be any good at it." He heard his darkness mumble something almost inaudible and he crinkled his nose in response. "What was that?"

"Just be yourself." Bakura repeated louder.

"Bakura?" Ryou called, his darkness giving him strength. "I like you."

The Tomb Robber closed his eyes, another sigh escaping his lips. "Goodnight Ryou." The painter didn't need words to know that his darkness felt the same. Just like he said earlier, he wasn't any better at this than Bakura was. In time, Ryou knew that Bakura would grow confident enough to verbalize his feelings back; till then, Ryou would remain by Bakura's side.

* * *

><p>Marik and Malik were lying together in their bed, their bodies touching closely. The spirit that had once occupied the Millennium Rod slept on his back with Malik lying comfortably on his chest. They did so in a tangle of limbs but neither commented about it.<p>

"So, how did it feel?" Malik asked, breaking through the silence.

"How did what feel?"

"Having Jou practically eat your neck," the student grinned, involuntarily tracing circles on his darkness' strong chest with his pointer finger. Although they had ultimately shared the same physical form, Malik marveled in Marik's strong, muscled chest. That was the definite differences between the two – while Malik was lean and slender, Marik was muscled and sleek.

Lilac eyes rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to answer that. And will you stop that?" Marik growled out, reaching out to halt Malik's movements. He wouldn't openly admit it but the feeling of Malik touching him like that was very arousing. He held Malik's tanned hand in his head and interlocked the fingers together.

"Why not, Marik? I just want to know. Besides, you seemed to enjoy it."

"It meant nothing to me."

"Is that so? During Jou's whole dare, I could tell you secretly loved it. Did you forget? Whatever intense emotion you feel, I feel too. I felt your lust." Malik inquired teasingly.

"While I admit that my lust may have made itself known, without any mental feeling behind it, it meant nothing at all." What then happened caused Marik to bit his tongue. His weaker self had moved and beginning kissing and licking his neck, just as Jou had done before. The only difference was that this time, it meant so much more. A low, predatory growl sounded throughout Marik's throat and he felt his lust overfilling him again. "Malik…" he hissed warningly.

The other responded by biting harshly at Marik's neck, causing his darkness to clench his fists. "You know what, my stronger self? Something helped open my eyes today." Malik said, whilst still continuing his assault on Marik's neck. It was astounding how he could keep up a conversation while still pleasuring Marik. "Seeing you so apologetic about Jou kissing your neck helped me realize how human you've become."

"Shut the fuck up, you weak fool!" Marik hissed, feeling himself starting to get very aroused. Malik chose to ignore that remark for he knew that the other Egyptian hadn't meant it.

"It made me realize how much you really did care for me." Malik cooed, now beginning to suck on Marik's pulse point. The smaller boy began alternating between a few licks and sucks, determined to give Marik a love mark as well. "I'm willing to give this 'something' of ours a good try, are you?" He asked, pulling away to allow his other self to breathe.

"Yes." Marik panted, his fists unclenching. Recovering slightly, he pulled away and noticed Malik's hurt look. "Silence yourself, Malik." He murmured, leaning downwards so now he covered Malik's body with his own. The pointy haired Egyptian leaned down, capturing Malik's lips in his and for the second time that day, the two kissed.

* * *

><p>"Yugi," Yami called with a low voice. "I want to talk to you." He and his partner were lying together in bed however they were very far apart. When the other hadn't responded, Yami began to grow a little annoyed. "Yugi." He called again, his eyes growing hard. "I know you're not asleep yet."<p>

Yugi let out a mental sigh and turned to face his friend. "What is it?"

"I want to you about something."

"Can't it wait till morning? I'm tired from all that has happened today." Yugi replied back with a frown.

The Pharaoh shook his head. "No, it cannot wait. This is the only time I feel I will be able to discuss this with you." Yami reached forward and grabbed Yugi's chin gently. "Yugi, why do have you been so nonchalant with me lately? And how is that you can kiss someone so openly without any feeling?"

"What are you talking about, Yami?" Yugi asked his tone suspicious and a tiny bit nervous.

"Why is that you can kiss me without any thoughts? Don't you feel anything? How is it you can do so without feeling virtually anything? You say it's out of gratitude and that's what our kisses mean to you but do you really think so?" Yami asked, leaning in closely so he could peer into Yugi's eyes – his crimson eyes seemingly like they were bearing into Yugi's very soul.

Yugi was taken back. "I-" he stammered but the Pharaoh wasn't finished.

"Why is that you repel any chance for me to learn? Why are you so against learning? What is it that causes you to fear me? I just want to know, please, tell me Yugi!"

The King of Games began to panic. He knew he harbored no feelings for his friend but he was terrified at the thought of developing feelings for him. He didn't dare cross the line between friends and lovers for the simple fact that he was afraid. He didn't want to lose Yami! What if they had indeed developed feelings and then what if something happened? Yugi couldn't bear the thought of Yami hating him – he would rather ignore his darkness subtle advances than spend the rest of his life being hated by his most precious friend. "I don't know what you're talking about." Yugi finished, turning around so his back faced Yami.

Yami sensed tension within his partner's mind and he only sighed. He knew when not to press. "Fine, it's your choice as to whether or not you want to learn. Listen to me when I say this Yugi," Yami said, placing a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Nothing will ever change; you will always be the most important to me."

"Go to sleep, Yami." Yugi whispered chokingly, almost to himself than to his darkness.

"Goodnight, little one." Yami answered back as he too turned around.

An awkward silence fell between the two and although both were awake, even they knew that things between them had become very different than before.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes: And this awful chapter is now over! You must all be so happy that it's over. I'm certainly glad it's over. This chapter was a bitch to write! It makes me wonder why the hell I even wanted to write an R&amp;R chapter. Fun fact, I'm watching the episode where Marik and Bakura. I love Super Ultra Mega Chicken! I just watched the BBT movie in the dubbed and I'm happy to say that all I could hear during the whole dialogue was the abridged version.<p>

(1): I'm not that much of a fan for Anzu but it was just something to add to the story. It doesn't mean anything and I certainly don't support the idea of Anzu and Yugi cause well, ugh.  
>(2) So, in case anyone is confused, the Egyptians did indeed have their own kind of condom so that's why Bakura and Yami know what it is.<br>(3): That was during the Waking the Dragons arc by the way. Yami's face is so funny when Rebecca hugs him. Of course it's cause she thinks its Yugi but ehhh.

If anyone thinks that Bakura, Ryou, Marik, and Malik got together very fast in this chapter; I would hope that this chapter helps to explain why. This chapter helped them realize that they needed each other in their lives – you get it? Yami and Yugi are still struggling, while Yami is okay and willing to try, Yugi is scared beyond his mind. Jounouchi is being a cupid, isn't he? Kaiba is just the grouch in the back corner. I realize now how much I absolute love writing their relationship.

Curious but, does anyone have a really good Tender, Bronze, or Puppyshipping story that they would recommend me to read? I haven't read a good fic in a long ass time! Preferably, bronze or Tender but I also love puppyshipping! Thanks again for reading, see you all next chapter!

Final Pages: 27  
>Final Words: 16.6k<br>Final Characters: 74.9k


	9. Reciprocate I

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! or its characters

Chapter: 9 "**Reciprocate Part I**"

Author's Notes: Thank you to all who read and reviewed! I'm surprised at how many people actually enjoyed the previous chapter! I thought it was completely garbage and I was worried that you all wouldn't like it but I guess I was wrong. I know some people aren't very happy with Yugi right now and frankly, I'm not either. Don't worry though; they'll fall in love sooner or later. This chapter took a long time to write, sigh. I hope you guys like it! I really hope you do.

CrystalFireExplosion: I never wrote this much back then! Before I wrote only about a thousand words per chapter but I felt like people wanted to read more so alas, 10k worded chapters! I'm glad you like my story so far! : )

Little . Miss . Fortune: The document manager likes to mess up your name when I upload chapters so it always seems to show up as .Fortune; I'm sorry about that! Hopefully it doesn't this time. I'm glad you thought the last chapter was funny! I didn't realize I was so humorous : ) Thank you for recommendations too! I'll make sure to check those out.

AnimeCat92: Thanks for your recommendations! I'll make sure to read them.

ilovemanicures: We all know Jou is definitely the partying type! I absolutely love Puppyshipping! They are my second pairing with Tendershipping being the first. Bakura is definitely not a romantic (not even my daydreams…) so I'm glad that you liked how their relationship is slowly progressing! I hope you like my Puzzleshipping in this chapter : )

RyouandBakuraforever: Hi friend! You shouldn't ever have to apologize for not reviewing! I'm just glad that you love what I write : ) Doesn't it suck school starts soon? It's about to start om nom noming on my time. Since Kaiba doesn't really have a mind link like the others, I thought the dragons getting him would be a really realistic way to go! You're really too sweet, I adore you! I feel like I write everyone's relationships so differently than other authors. Hopefully you'll forgive Yugi this chapter, I have a feeling you will : ) Not going to lie but I totally forgot about their time in Egypt, I could definitely see Bakura having had sex but Yami not so much! Rawr, I should of remembered hahaha. Thanks for your suggestions! I'll make to read them as soon as I can! : )

PiWrite: I'm happy you loved the last chapter! I like giving everyone a good laugh every now and then : )

* * *

><p>Several days have passed since Yugi's attack and true to his word; the headaches that Jounouchi promised were coming had come and then gone. They had all dealt with it in their own way – Yugi whined and clutched his head for the majority of the day while Yami stayed by his side. The Pharaoh hadn't had much to drink during their games so he did not feel the effects of a hangover like his partner did. Ryou grumbled and swore as he stayed in bed with Bakura who equally cursed and swore with the exception of Bakura's choice of language being all the more colorful and violent. Malik had consumed many Bloody Maries in his hopes of alienating his hangover only to be told (by Jou) that there was usually no correlation between the two. Marik had been confined to his bedroom for hours with very noticeable veins protruding from his temples as he angrily cursed and threatened to send Jou to the Shadow Realm for making him drink the wine. Kaiba held his alcohol well and was usually found by Jounouchi's side, rubbing the boy's back as the blonde heaved and threw up all the contents in his stomach.<p>

That had been days ago however and the end of January was rapidly approaching. This meant that a new semester was about to begin for Malik, Jou, Ryou and Yugi who all groaned at the thought of having to go back to school. They had enjoyed their break and time off from school but they knew they couldn't avoid school forever. While Domino University students still had till the 28th of January until they had to return to school, Domino's School of Art and Design students unfortunately began their semester on the 25th meaning that Ryou would have to go back to school first.

It was currently the morning of the 25th of January and most of the boys were still asleep. Ryou however had to wake up early due to his first day of class. The painter had finished his morning routine of hygiene related activities and was now throwing on his wardrobe for the day. He wore a pair of dark, navy blue pants and an overly large long-sleeved striped black and white shirt. His shirt was so large that it practically hung off his shoulder but Ryou paid it no mind. Since it was still a bit chilly out, Ryou slipped on Bakura's black trench coat and he could only smile at the warmth it provided him.

Bakura, the Thief King of Egypt.

Ryou smiled as his thoughts drifted to his darkness. Turning brown eyes over to his sleeping other self, the white haired man could only marvel of how things have changed between them. After the fateful day of their first kiss, Bakura and Ryou grew closer and closer with each passing day. The Thief King was not the romantic type; he didn't constantly shower Ryou with hugs and kisses nor did he ever verbally express his feelings to him. What Bakura and Ryou had wasn't technically a relationship; they were still in the transitional phase when two people simply acknowledge their feelings for one another. Although they had shared kisses, both brief and sometimes lengthy, Bakura wasn't Ryou's boyfriend or anything like that – he was just the person Ryou liked and cared about most.

The pale skinned boy didn't mind; he knew not to push too far or too fast. He was content with how things were between them and Bakura was too. Both boys felt that they needed to take things slowly so they could avoid any potential problems that could arise. They wanted to make whatever it was between them work and so; they were fine with just acknowledging their feelings for each other. Ryou certainly didn't call Bakura his boyfriend or his lover, Bakura was just simply his. Similarly, Bakura referred to Ryou as just the person he cared about and the one who swore he would protect.

Just that statement alone meant the world to Ryou.

While Bakura was somewhat timid about their newfound 'relationship', Ryou welcomed it with open arms. The Thief King was still convinced that he didn't deserve Ryou and often was hesitant to reciprocate the small kisses that Ryou would place upon his scared cheek. It was only when they were alone that Bakura allowed himself to be coaxed by Ryou into more displays of affection. Before their mutual confession, Bakura was fine with stroking the boy's cheek or embracing him but the aftermath of it left him feeling a tiny bit wary; the things he did would mean so much more now – to him and to his light. He didn't want to mess anything up.

Together, they tried and both were very happy.

Ryou quietly walked up to his slumbering darkness and made his way over to Bakura's side of the bed. Sitting gently on the edge of the mattress, Ryou ran a hand through the Tomb Robber's soft, grey locks and watched amusingly as the two batwings on Bakura's hair sprung back to their previous place. "I'm going to school now, Bakura." Ryou whispered.

Always the light sleeper, the sound of his light's melodic voice roused him awake. "Hmm?" He inquired with a sleepy voice. Opening his eyes, his pastel blues met ones of chocolate brown. "Yeah, it's your first day back." Bakura mumbled, his eyes fluttering close. "The others start too right?"

Ryou had floated away during his last question and was currently slinging his school bag over his shoulder. He leaned down briefly to tie his shoes and once he was done, stood back up. Pulling out his cell phone, he scanned the digital numbers before humming a response back. "Uh-uh, it's just me today. They don't get back for another couple days." He walked in the direction of the door and turned to the spirit that had once occupied the Millennium Ring, "Bye Bakura, I'll see you in a couple hours." Placing a hand on the doorknob, Ryou was about to turn the knob when his darkness' voice entered his thoughts.

/ / _Stop right there. _/ / The Thief King's voice warned.

"I have to go to school, Bakura. I really don't want to be late on my first day."

/ / _Shut up_. / / Bakura retorted. With a groan, he stretched out his stiff limbs before swinging his tan legs over the bed. He stood up and walked towards the bathroom, not even bothering to close the door. / / _I'm coming with you too._ / / Shrugging out of his black and baggy sleeping pants, he climbed into the shower and took care of his morning necessities.

Ryou sighed, knowing there was no way he could argue with his stubborn Tomb Robber. "Are you sure? I'll be fine; you don't have to if you don't want to." He shifted his weight to the other foot and glanced at the time again. "You're not even a student!" Ryou said with a roll of his eyes.

There was a pause before, / / _Don't care. _/ /

"Fine." Ryou gave in, crossing his arms. "Hurry up then." He honestly didn't know what would happen if Bakura followed him to class. He definitely knew he wouldn't be able to logically explain why he was with him during class but he knew that he had to try – what else could he do? Suddenly realizing something, Ryou began messing with his dresser. "You're going to need to wear some decent clothes; the school doesn't allow your type of dress.

/ / _Whatever. _/ / Bakura replied back easily. He stepped out of the shower and brushed his teeth quickly before shaking his head, ridding his wet hair of water. He walked back into the bedroom he shared with Ryou and rolled his eyes at the clothes Ryou had laid out for him. "How very modern." He commented lightly.

"What do you care? You can pull off any look." Ryou reasoned, with a jab to his darkness' chest. "Now hurry up!" The white haired man heard the Thief King grumble in response and he smiled. With Bakura's attention now averted, Ryou took a moment to admire his appealing physique. It always blew Ryou's mind how utterly handsome Bakura was; that chiseled chest, gorgeous abdominals, muscled arms, and those very dominant looking cut lines.

"You could have those too if you tried." Bakura reminded, causing Ryou to snap his attention back to the now fully dressed Tomb Robber. His darkness wore black pants and a simple white long sleeved collared shirt. Over his neck was a red tie that was left hanging on both sides of his neck for Bakura did not know what this strange accessory was. "Sorry, I don't know what this is." He awkward gestured to the strange piece of clothing around his neck.

Ryou giggled. "It's called a tie and here, I'll do it for you." He walked back over to his darkness and began fastening the tie around his darkness' neck. With his light now focused on tying the tie, Bakura's mind shifted towards the boy below him. If he had been told that he and Ryou would be in this position six years ago, he would have laughed his ass off and killed the person who suggested such an idea. How could he have known that he and Ryou would be in this position after all they had been through? While it was he who was hesitant about their newly formed 'relationship', he couldn't imagine himself with anyone else; all he saw was Ryou. "You look very handsome, as always." The boy smiled, caressing his darkness' face affectionately. He left the tie slightly loosened, not wanting the tie to make Bakura uncomfortable.

Bakura's musing were put to a halt at Ryou's statement and Bakura shrugged momentarily before capturing his light's hand in his hand. He brought the pale hand close to his lips and kissed the soft skin before bringing both their hands down. "Thank you." He said sincerely. The Tomb Robber watched amusingly as the painter's cheeks lit up. "We should go; I wouldn't want you to be late either."

Ryou nodded in agreement. "Let's go." Together, the two exited their room and walked down the stairs. Bakura had his arm wrapped around Ryou's shoulders while Ryou had his arm wrapped around the Thief King's waist. They walked out the door where one of Kaiba's limousines was waiting for them. "Take us to Domino's School of Art and Design, please." Ryou asked politely to the chauffeur who nodded back. Bakura and Ryou climbed into the car and sat comfortably side by side. 'Well this will be an interesting first day of school' Ryou thought to himself.

/ / _You've no idea_ / / Bakura thought back, chuckling darkly.

* * *

><p>"Yami." Yugi called, tapping the man gently on the cheek.<p>

The Pharaoh let out a groan and slowly opened his eyes. Just like he had expected, his eyes connected with Yugi's and the Egyptian King blinked confusingly. Yugi looked as though he had been awake for hours. The boy's face was very close and Yami then noticed the position they were in. Yugi was currently straddling his waist with his arms and legs on either side of Yami's body. "Um," he began unsurely, "What is it, little one?"

A happy smile appeared on the King of Games' face. "It's Jounouchi's birthday." Once the last word left his lips, Yugi's smile only got bigger. Oh, well that would make sense. Of course Yugi would be excited about his best friend's birthday; anyone would.

"I see, what are you planning on doing then?" Yami asked, his eyes trailing down lower. They were firstly locked onto Yugi's beautiful amethyst eyes and Yami found himself wondering why he had only begun to notice their sparkling brilliance. His own crimson eyes kept trailing down lower till they eventually settled on the curvature of Yugi's ass and he quickly looked away.

"I'm going to go wake him and Seto up, do you want to join me?" He asked excitedly, not at all concerned about his darkness' wondering eyes – actually, Yugi didn't even noticed, he was too absorbed in his excitement over Jou's birthday.

"Yes, I suppose." Yami mumbled. He placed his hands on Yugi's hips in an effort to move Yugi and unfortunately as well as fortunately, Yugi chose that exact moment to also move. The pair of tri-colored hair boys were then tangled in a jungle of limbs, both struggling to dislodge themselves. "Yugi, don't -!" Yami's voice was cut off by the loud growl that thundered from his throat. During their struggle, Yugi had accidently grinded his hips downwards onto Yami and even the Pharaoh could feel himself getting aroused.

Yugi's brows knitted in confusion and he leaned in closer to get a closer look into Yami's eyes; he couldn't tell but those orbs of crimson red were beginning to fill with desire. The boy's choice in movement also caused him to further grind downwards against Yami and the Pharaoh hissed softly. "What's wrong, Yami? Are you okay?"

"Just fine." Yami exhaled, feeling himself beginning to throb uncomfortably. The feeling of Yugi grinding against him sent him into waves of pleasure and he couldn't even begin to explain why. As much as he enjoyed the feelings it gave him, Yami knew better than to act upon his lust. Securing a tighter grip on Yugi's hips, the Pharaoh moved Yugi so that the boy stood on the ground. Sitting up slowly, Yami folded his hands in his lap. "I'll go freshen up and will be with you in just a moment. Wait for me outside, Yugi." He said, his voice low.

Obviously oblivious to what he had done to his friend, Yugi grinned good-naturally. "Good! I'll be waiting outside the door, don't take too long okay!" And with that, the King of Games sprinted out the door. Yami's crimson eyes watched him go before glancing downwards at his lap. With a slightly aggravated sigh, he stood up and made the awkward walk to the shower. The Pharaoh brushed his teeth quickly and hopped into the shower, making sure to turn it to the coldest it could be.

Letting out another sigh, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, wanting the water to wash away his troubles. He let his mind whirl with the questions he had been dying to ask himself but the main one echoed loudly in his head – What the hell just happened? Placing a hand on the shower door's glass, he tilted his head downwards. 'What was that?' Yami thought to himself as he clenched his fist. Replaying the events of this morning in his head, the Pharaoh panted slowly and he knew how his partner's movements filled him with lust and desire. "Can it be that I harbor feelings for Yugi?" He asked himself so that Yugi would not hear him. "Impossible, he and I are partners and have been for many years."

But then, what was that this morning?

"I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it." Yami told himself, opening his eyes and watching how the droplets of water collected at the tips of his bangs before falling down. "I have nothing but love and respect for the boy; he is the most important person in my life. Surely, that is all we are meant to be?" His mind screamed partner but his heart wasn't so sure. Looking up at nothing, Yami's eyes grew wide. "Am I falling for my light?" He and Yugi had kissed multiple times before and although the first two were out of necessity, Yami acknowledge how the third kiss caused a change in him. He wanted more from that kiss, he wanted to explore more. During the drinking games they had played, he felt a bolt of anger at seeing his partner kissing Ryou. He was further enraged at the thought of Yugi having sex with Anzu.

What did this all mean?

Never before had Yami felt such possession and it scared him. He didn't know where these 'feelings' had come from and whether or not they were truly feelings. He didn't know a thing – he didn't know where he stood now with Yugi. Yugi caused feelings within him that even he didn't know he could feel for the boy. With all those thoughts whirling around in his head, Yami let out a choked sound. "I have fallen for Yugi." He realized, placing a hand on his heart. His heart, the new heart that he had gained the moment he returned to the land of the living. Closing his eyes once again, Yami heard the strong beating of his heart and it was at that moment that the Pharaoh knew his heart yearned for Yugi.

If only it were that simple; Yugi didn't want to have anything to do with him in that department.

"If only if I could make him see." Yami wished, his lips curving into a slight frown. "If only I could just get through to him and make him see." He stepped out of the shower and walked back into the bedroom, making sure to dress slowly to take some more time to himself before he joined his other self outside.

Yugi leaned against wall beside the door to his and Yami's bedroom and he looked up at the ceiling. He had his hands folded behind his back and he could vaguely make out the feelings inside his head. The King of Games had calmed down once he made it outside and he was now just beginning to sense the tension in his partner's mind. He saw the image of himself on top of Yami and then felt a rushing sensation surged through him before he blinked. From Yami's end of their link, Yugi felt an extreme peak in lust before it vanished quickly. Wondering what it was, Yugi frowned slightly. 'What was that?' he heard his darkness question and Yugi found himself curious as to what it was but suddenly his mind became blank.

Yami must have shut off their link but why did he do so?

Yugi didn't know and honestly he wasn't sure at all. For the past couple of days, Yami had been rather different after the drinking game they had all played. During the dares he completed or the truths he confessed, Yugi could swore he felt spikes in intense emotion from Yami's end but he was too occupied to really analyze it. His thoughts then drifted to the conversation they had before he fell asleep and the King of Games frowned at how cold he had been.

He had shut down his darkness before Yami could even say what he needed to say.

He had rejected him before Yami even had the chance.

Who could blame Yugi? He was nervous and he was frightened. Yami wasn't anything more to him than a precious friend or older brother but why did Yugi find himself seeking comfort in the arms of Pharaoh? While he acknowledged that being in a relationship (should it so happen) with Yami would not be all that bad, he was terrified of a possible aftermath. What if he and Yami argued and then ceased being friends? Yugi couldn't bear the thought of that! He cringed even at the thought of it. He was usually at ease around Yami, even more so than when Yugi was with Jou but what did all that mean? Yugi believed he and Yami had a strong bond for one another but even he couldn't deny how right those brief kisses felt.

The first kiss was amazing; it was almost as if Yami had poured out his entire heart and soul into that kiss. When Yugi kissed back, he felt the Pharaoh do the same but the kiss that they had shared was only out of necessity. It was almost nothing – just something they had done because they had to. The second kiss they had shared was initiated by Yugi himself and it was only out of gratitude. That was how the two showed their thanks, wasn't it?

Then why did Yami feel such disappointment when Yugi kissed him a third time?

Why did Yugi also feel disappointment?

"I haven't fallen for the Pharaoh." He recited to himself as if he had been telling himself the same statement a thousand times. "How could I? What I feel for him is simply the admiration and adoration of a true friend. He's like another Jounouchi to me." The King of Games reasoned. 'Perhaps another 'Jounouchi' that you wouldn't mind kissing' his inner conscious thought spoke up and Yugi frowned. Amethyst eyes looked downwards to his chest where the Millennium Puzzle usually was but ever since Yami returned, the Pharaoh often wore it around his neck.

Yugi's eyes grew wide. "The Millennium Puzzle - the one thing that I always had and held close to my heart." No, he couldn't fall for Yami! Only bad would come from it! Holding his head, Yugi closed his eyes painfully. "I don't want to hurt us." He whispered brokenly. He looked to the door and his frown only deepened. "Last night, did I just ruin the only chance I had?" he asked himself, eyes shaking slightly.

At that moment, Yami stepped out of their room and looked at his partner with worry. Leaning down slightly, the Pharaoh placed a tan hand on Yugi's shoulder. "Yugi? Are you alright? What's wrong?" his deep voice asked.

The smaller boy looked up into the Pharaoh's face and Yugi inwardly shuddered at the look in Yami's eyes. Those beautiful crimson eyes were filled with worry as Yami peered into Yugi's own set of eyes carefully. A realization seemed to hit Yugi and he involuntarily reached for Yami's hand before he corrected himself and smiled in a fake but reassuring manner. "Yes, I'm fine!" He exclaimed. "We better go wake them up!" Yugi instructed.

Yami only nodded and followed his partner down the stairs in the direction of Kaiba and Jou's private wings.

'I won't give up' Yami swore.

'I can't believe I blew my chance' Yugi cried.

Neither one heard the statements for both boys were too occupied by the haunting thoughts in each of their heads. While Yami was determined to get through to Yugi, the latter was now stuck believing he had failed his darkness. Yami and Yugi glanced at each other briefly before looking away and they remained in that uncomfortable silence until they reached the large, imposing wooden doors to Kaiba and Jou's bedroom.

The beautiful, mahogany doors stood proud and tall but the most impressive was the pictures carved onto the wooden surface. Two dragons had been intricately carved onto the brown doors and Yugi whistled at seeing the magnificent Blue Eyes White Dragon and Red Eyes Black dragon guarding the entrance to the dragon's den. Sparkling jewels complimented the dragons' intimidating features in the form of eyes – sapphires for Kaiba's dragon and then rubies for Jou's dragon.

Turning to his darkness, Yugi placed a finger to his lips. "We have to be really quiet, okay? I don't want them to know we're coming." He saw Yami nod his head curtly and with a determined nod of his own, Yugi carefully turned the door handle. He wanted to be as quiet as possible for he wanted the element of surprise to be on his side. The door silently opened and the two tri-color haired boy hesitantly poked their heads in.

/ They have their own house in here! / Yugi cried, eyes looking around the room wildly.

/ / They are rather well off / / Yami agreed. He placed his tan hands on Yugi's shoulders and gently guided the smaller boy in front of him forward. With curious eyes, they began to survey the room and the bedroom was even bigger than they had initially thought. The walls were painted a royal white and the carpet beneath their feet felt like clouds; they were so soft. A fireplace was located at the far right with bookcases to either side of it. On the wall above the fireplace was a breathtakingly beautiful portrait of Kaiba and Jou's dragons curling together in harmony. Lush couches and armchairs were placed in front of the fireplace. The eastern side of the room boasted Kaiba and Jou's large open bathroom area with a walk-in closest located just to the left of entrance. The couple's four poster bed at the northern side of the room stood on top of a pedestal with silk sheets, pillows, and a warm comforter on it.

/ Look, Yami! They're still sleeping! / Yugi gestured to the slumbering bodies in the bed. Placing another finger to his lips, the King of Games made another gesture for Yami to stay quiet before turning his attention to the task at hand.

Yami merely watched with a grimace. / / Are you sure you want to do this, Yugi? / / His question fell on deaf ears or minds since Yugi was slowly creeping his way over to the bed. The Pharaoh then smirked amusingly at how stealthy his little light was being and he crossed his arms while he waited. From their mind link, he heard Yugi make a little countdown and Yami's smirk turned into a full-blown smile. His partner really was too adorable sometimes.

"Good morning!" Yugi screamed, bending his knees slightly and taking a huge leap onto the bed. "Happy Birthday, Jounouchi!" There were two surprised yelps and Yami smirked victoriously at Yugi who quickly sent him a wink in return. The mission was completed! He had successfully attacked the two in bed for he was now sitting on top of someone's body. The blanket had been pulled up so Yugi couldn't see who he had landed on but his instincts told him it was Jou. There was a loud curse and shifting of sheets and a figure sat up in bed.

Running a hand through his messy blonde locks, the figure turned his sleepy eyes to Yugi who was blinking confusingly. "Yugi?" He questioned unsurely, leaning his face closely to get a better look. Once his vision had become less foggy, Jounouchi was able to make out the picture of his best friend in his bed and the Pharaoh watching entertainingly from the doorway. "Is that you Yami?"

Yugi just stared. "Wait, Jou? Oh shit, if you're over there that must mean…" he trailed off, his amethyst eyes glancing nervously downwards at the body beneath him. Suddenly a loud snarl was heard below him and Yugi squeaked slightly. He wasn't prepared for this! He hesitantly pulled down the covers and his eyes were met with the sight of Kaiba's well-toned back. "Oh! Sorry about that, um, good morn –" He began but he was immediately cut off.

"You have about three seconds to get the hell off me." Kaiba coldly growled. Not one for conflict, Yugi let out another squeak and hopped off Kaiba before the billionaire could strike him in the face. The King of Games shuffled his feet over to Yami and stood behind him, poking his head around Yami's figure.

"Lighten up, asswipe." Jounouchi told him, fully awake now. The blanket had fallen off his chest exposing Jou's well-sculpted chest but no one paid it any mind. "What's up, guys?" he asked, not at all concerned that his two friends had somehow broken into the room he shared with Kaiba.

"We wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday." Yami informed, making his way over to the bed. He crossed his arms and looked downwards at the couple while Yugi was still pressed up to his back, nervously looking from the side. "Yugi couldn't contain his excitement." He explained, noticing how the brunet was still lying facedown.

Jou grinned widely. "Thanks, guys! That means a lot to me!" He whistled in appreciation. "Wow, I can't believe it. I'm 22 years old now!" He was now the eldest of the bunch and he couldn't help but grin at that. The blonde stretched out his arms and let out a groan as he felt his stiff muscles crack. Honey eyes swept over to his lover's appealing back before turning back to his friends. "Sorry, I'm up so late guys. I had a long night."

"Birthday sex, was it?" Yugi asked, stepping out from behind his darkness. He folded his hands behind his head and grinned at his best friend good-naturally. "How was it?"

Jou placed a hand on Kaiba's back and rubbed at it teasingly, "Not the best I've had but acceptable, I suppose." He felt his lover tense at that and Jou chuckled at the low growl he heard from the CEO's throat. The blonde leaned down and kissed the middle of Kaiba's back, right in between the shoulder blades. "It was romantic though; right at the strike of midnight."

"Fuck off." Kaiba retorted. He wasn't a morning person and he definitely didn't enjoy being tackled awake. For now, he was content on just lying face down in bed for at the moment, he didn't have a care in the world. "If you assholes are going to keep talking, take it outside."

"It's my birthday, Seto! Stop being such an ass!" Jou scolded, slapping his lover on the top of his head. Wrong move, Jounouchi; Kaiba's hand shot out quickly and grabbed Jou's wrist threateningly. His eyes widened before Jou let out a small uncharacteristic squeal, "Okay, okay! We'll take it outside. Don't stay in bed too long okay; we have a lot to do today." Jounouchi reminded, leaning down to kiss the back of Kaiba's neck. It was amazing how the two could be arguing one second and then lovey-dovey the next. Jou stood up and as if knowing he would, Yami placed a hand over Yugi's eyes while he closed his own, shielding the two from the sight of Jou's lower half. "I'll go freshen up and meet you downstairs."

"We'll wait for you downstairs then." Yami told him, keeping his hand over his light's eyes despite Yugi's struggles. The Pharaoh swiftly turned around and walked out of the room, making sure to keep Yugi's eyes closed.

Jounouchi watched them go with a devious smirk. "Well things have certainly gotten interesting."

"What are you talking about?" Kaiba grumbled.

"We'll just have to see, won't we?" He asked back, leaving his lover and walking in direction of their open bathroom. Jounouchi after all needed to freshen up and make sure he looked his best for his big, 22nd birthday.

Kaiba looked at his boyfriend's retreating back and admired it slightly before he made up his mind and followed the blonde into the shower. "Birthday sex round two starts right now." He smirked, shutting the shower door behind him on an unsuspecting Katsuya Jounouchi.

* * *

><p>Marik stood alone in front of his arched bedroom window with his arms crossed as his piercing lilac eyes looked at everything yet nothing at the same time. His back was ramrod straight and his muscled biceps flexed with every breath he took. The Egyptian's mind was blank and his expression was unreadable as he just stood there silently. He was taking a moment of peace to himself in his own meditative way. Marik's eyes fluttered closed before they sharply opened and looked to his side.<p>

His eyes were greeted with the sight of his light who stood contently by his side. Malik looked cheerful; his eyes were looking livelier than ever. Things between them only continued to improve from the night of the party in the way that they were now comfortable referring to their previously hesitant 'something' into a strict and definite 'something'. Although Marik knew nothing of love and relationships, he knew that he cared for Malik and that was enough for him. They took things slowly which included kisses, embraces, and a caress every now and then but still, they took things slowly. Malik respected his darkness chosen pace because that was all he could really do; Marik had never been in this kind of position before. It astounded Malik how Marik was slowly becoming the most important person in his life and how Marik was becoming a permanent resident in his heart. Having been lying dormant for many years, Marik was often very cautious about the kinds of romantic things he did which were understandable; he was never subjected to these kinds of things before.

He was formed out of Malik's hate and pain. Relationships usually brought feelings of love and happiness and so Marik often felt out of place. The only times he felt he was doing the right thing was when Malik rewarded him with his own acts of affection. Marik was learning how to love and it amazed him how the person he had once considered weak was now teaching him how to.

"Did you sleep well?" Malik asked, conversationally as he leaned against his darkness' side. He captured Marik's hand in his head and squeezed it comfortably. His lilac eyes danced as they connected with an almost identical pair.

"Yes, I did. And yourself?" Marik asked back. The moment he and Malik's eyes connected, he felt a surge of fire burning within him. He knew why of course; he was romantically attracted to his other self. Malik caused feelings in him he never even knew he could feel. The very heart that caused his birth was now his and his alone to protect. Marik responded to his light's touch by caressing his thumb over Malik's gently.

"I slept pretty well also, thank you for asking." Malik replied, easily. He loved the feeling of his hand in Marik's; it brought him immense warmth and comfort. How could he of known that the person he had once detested would bring him so much joy later on in life? Life was a funny thing. His feet took him to stand in front of his darkness and Malik smiled. Marik was alike him in so many ways but the little differences that set him apart were some of the things Malik really liked. They were built generally the same but Marik was still different; he practically towered over Malik. The boy's nose barely came up to Marik's chest! Malik didn't lack in muscle, they were just not as pronounced unlike his other self whose muscles bulged eagerly.

Marik placed his hands on Malik's thin hips and he looked downwards into beautiful pools of lilac. He inclined his face so closely that Malik's bangs brushed his forehead. His eyes focused on Malik's inviting lips and without a warning like before, Marik kissed Malik. The light mewed appreciatively, wrapping his arms around Marik's neck. The sun casted shadows upon them until only their silhouette could be seen. They kissed innocently for a few seconds before it turned fierce. Malik leaned in closer when he felt the grip on his hips tighten slightly and he grinded his hips against Marik's in response.

His darkness let out a lust-filled growl at that and Marik wasted no time in plunging his tongue into Malik's mouth. Their tongues danced together, intertwining and caressing one another in a recital of affection. The kissed lasted a few minutes and Malik sucked on his darkness' lower lip when he felt Marik pulled away. The two gazed into each other eyes and Marik smiled a genuine smile.

"You are the most important person in my life and that is nothing but the truth."

"I like you too, Marik." Malik returned, hugging his darkness. He nuzzled his cheek against Marik's chest when he felt Marik place a hand on top of his hair and ruffle it affectionately. All in all, Marik and Malik were satisfied at where they stood with one another. They stayed in their embrace for several minutes, both enjoying one another's company. "Thank you, my darkness. You have made me so happy." Malik said sweetly.

Marik let out a hum and closed his eyes. "No, my light. Thank you for allowing me into your heart. You gave me life and now I wish to do nothing but spend it by your side. I will protect you with everything I have; you will never feel pain or sadness whilst I am by your side." That was as close as a verbal confession that Malik knew he would hear from his other self but nonetheless, it made him even happier. "I sense the others are awake and downstairs. Shall we go?"

The smaller Egyptian nodded with a smile as he pulled away. He saw that his darkness extended an arm to which Malik latched onto it almost immediately. Arm in arm, the two descended the stairs in direction of the kitchen where they heard the voices of their friends.

* * *

><p>"Damn, that sucks. I forgot that Ryou had to go back to school today." Jou cursed, rubbing his head at his inattentiveness. "Knowing Bakura, he probably went with him." He, Kaiba, Yami, and Yugi were currently sitting at the island of the kitchen. Kaiba, as usual, had a mug of coffee by his side and he was currently reading the newspaper. Jounouchi sat beside him with a plate of half-eaten food in front of him. Yami sat with his arms crossed as he sipped his glass of water every now then. Yugi was busying himself with eating for he was hungry. The blonde folded his arms on the marble surface and rested his head on it. "That takes most of the fun out of things; I was hoping he would skip his first day back."<p>

"Do you really think Ryou is the kind of person to skip school?" Yami asked, raising an amused brow. He took another sip of his glass and frowned at dangerously low the water was now. He let out an inaudible sigh before making a move to get up but his glass was snatched out his hand. Yugi sent him a quick smile and moved to fill his darkness' glass up himself. "Thank you, little one." Yami said softly and smiled back. Yugi gave him another happy smile and handed the Pharaoh back his glass.

The boys all laughed at that, they all knew that Ryou would never skip school by his own doing. "He'll be back before you know it, Jou!" Yugi chirped. "His class ends around noon I think."

Jou grinned, picking his head up. He twirled his fork in his hand excitedly, "Really? That's good! We can just push back our plans till then!" Kaiba watched his lover's actions and frowned, obviously not liking how Jou played around with his food (or utensils). He raised a hand to grab the fork but the blonde stabbed it down on his bacon till it stood on its own. "We're moving everything two hours back then!" He said finally.

Yami and Yugi blinked. "Move what back?" They asked in unison.

"What's being moved back?" Malik asked as he and his darkness came to join the four in the kitchen. They took their seats; Malik sat beside Jou while Marik sat beside the Pharaoh. "Did we miss something important?" He pressed. He flashed a quick smile at Yugi who had gone and fetched their plates of food while Marik bowed his head in thanks.

Jounouchi opened his mouth to speak but Kaiba beat him to it. "Since its Jou's birthday, Kaiba Land is free for everyone in Domino to use which means all the rides and amenities are free for the day. Usually the park is free for orphans but we decided to extend this to everyone today. The Dueling Areas are also up and running and we will be having a main event at the Kaiba Dome." Shooting a dirty look at his lover, Jou crossed his arms before he nodded.

Yugi and Malik perked up at the mentioning of free rides as they both leaned in closer. "That is so cool!" Yugi exclaimed.

"Yeah, that's amazing!" Malik agreed.

While the part about rides and amenities did not particularly interest Yami or Marik, the part about the dueling areas caught their attention. "What did you have in mind, Kaiba?" Marik asked on behalf of him and the Pharaoh. While the lights didn't duel as much as before, the darknesses welcomed the challenge, having not had the chance to in a long time.

"The Areas will be accessible for anyone who wishes to duel. Anybody is allowed to duel so long as they register their deck before the duel starts and ultimately, it's to further enhance Kaiba Corporation's card database. After the main event, there will be a party for Jou at the Mansion which is of course a closed-event if you're someone not on the list. Naturally, you all are to come." Kaiba explained, his eyes never leaving his newspaper. "Concerning the duels, you and Yami are free to duel so long as you keep it people-friendly." His last words were obviously meant for Marik.

Marik chuckled darkly at that. "What's the fun in that?" His shoulders shook as he cackled out his old, maniacal laughter. While some flinched at the sound, Malik grinned. "I swear by my life that I will not initiate any Shadow Games." Marik promised, his trademark evil smirk appeared briefly before vanishing - Marik was only kidding. They believed him of course, he was after all a changed man.

"Just a friendly reminder." Kaiba replied coolly, turning another page idly.

"What's this about a main event?" Yami cut in, deeply interested at the chance to be able to duel again. He hadn't been able to for many years and he yearned to duel again. His cards had been left untouched for too long!

"The main event consists of a duel between Seto and me at the Kaiba Dome. It's mainly a charity event to help raise money for Glaucoma operations. After my sister's operation, I made it a goal to help others pay for their children or loved ones that needed it too. The main event will help raise money for people going through that kind of thing – for every person in the arena, 10,000 yen will be donated to the charity group." Jou explained, chewing his bacon afterwards.

Malik whistled in amazement. "Wow, that's crazy; 10,000 yen for every person? How many seats does the Kaiba Dome have?"

"About 45,000 or so." Kaiba answered as if it was no big deal. Of course it wouldn't, Kaiba had managed and owned his own gaming company that produced billions every second. He folded up his newspaper to the game section and proceeded to do another Sudoku. He glanced at it briefly before he effortlessly filled out the number sequence. "The goal is 45 million yen."

"Yup." Jou nodded. "It's for a good cause. We'll have the duel broadcasted through the streets of Domino so those that can't be there can at least see the duel."

Yami puckered his lips slightly and crossed his arms almost in a pouting manner. "It is definitely for a good cause; you'd be helping many people." He looked away and Yugi rolled his eyes at his darkness' childish behavior.

"Yami's upset that he won't be able to duel at the main event." Yugi spoke up, collecting his finished plates as well as the other unfinished plates. He deposited them neatly in the sink before reclaiming his stool.

Kaiba let out a hum and he looked up for the first time since they had all entered the kitchen. His sapphire blues bore into those of crimson red before Kaiba smirked. "In that case, perhaps an alteration can be made."

"What kind of alteration?" Marik asked, taking a sip of water.

"In addition to the duel between Jounouchi and I, how would you four like to duel?" Kaiba asked, folding his hands and resting his chin on them. He watched as Yugi, Yami, Malik, and Marik's eyes all seem to light up at once. "Yes, it could be another way to generate more funds. Here's a situation for you all to ponder: I explain that the finalists from my Battle City tournament will all be featured in a little tournament which I can also broadcast to those in Domino as well as those tuning into their television sets. I can make it so all those views adds an extra 10,000 yen to the charity."

"Really, Seto?" Jounouchi cried, turning honey eyes to his boyfriend. He saw Kaiba's lips curve into a smile and the blonde could have kissed him right then and there. His dragon was truly the love of his life! "All that money could help millions of people!" Jou was ecstatic at the thought of being able to help others.

"That's very generous and thoughtful of you, Kaiba." Yami complimented, tipping his drink and head at the powerful CEO. "May I ask how you wish to implement the duel system?" Simultaneously, the boys leaned in closer towards Kaiba, all greatly interested in what he had to say.

The brunet hummed thoughtfully. "That's a good question and honestly I have not thought of a solution yet. I was thinking perhaps single duels or maybe even tag-team duels. It is really up to you all. My duel with Jou can also be in that format, single or tag-team – it really depends on you all." Kaiba watched for their reactions.

Yugi shared a look with his darkness as Malik did the same. "What do you think, Yami? Do you want to partner up or have a rematch from our last duel?" Yugi asked, raising a thin brow. "I'm fine with either."

"And what about you, Marik? Would you rather duel by yourself or with another person?" Malik asked, cupping his face in his hands and turning lilac eyes towards his other self. "It doesn't really matter to me."

"I am fine with anything." Marik shrugged. "A duel is a duel."

"I am also impartial however I do find tag-team duels always unpredictable."

The president of Kaiba Corporation nodded at their responses. "In that case, we'll go with the idea of having duo teams. To keep things fair and random, I want you all to agree to allow yourselves to be randomly paired up. I will not allow for unfair play."

They all nodded in unison before Malik cleared his throat. "Do you think that Bakura and Ryou might want to also duel? They were also finalists."

"They can if they wish." Kaiba merely replied.

"I'll text Ryou and ask." Malik grinned. He pulled out his cell phone from his pocket and quickly pulled up his address book. His fingers moving swiftly, he typed out a message to his white haired best friend.

Malik: Do u nd Bakura want 2 duel at K's Tourney? (1)

A minute hadn't even passed before Malik's phone vibrated with Ryou's response. Ryou was never one for shorthand when texting, he always typed his words out formally.

Ryou: _Seto is having a tournament? When and where is it? Bakura says he will duel. _

Malik: Its 4 J's BD, u in or not? At KL around 2

Ryou: _Sure, that is fine. Could you please get our decks? They should be in the drawer of the night table._

Malik: Yea, c u then!

And with that, Malik turned to friends with a smile. Marik looked at him strangely as he had never seen his light communicate so fast and efficiently. Like him, the other boys marveled at the boy's texting speed. "Ryou says he and Bakura will duel!"

"That settles it then, the KC BC Final Rematch Championship will begin at two o'clock this afternoon." Kaiba settled with a nod of his head. He folded his newspaper closed and finished his coffee before standing up. "Excuse me, I must go make some phone calls about today's events. I'll have the limo outside the house in exactly one hour. You all have till then to ready yourselves and your decks; I suggest you all remain vigilant – you never know what can happen in a tournament. We will arrive at Kaiba Land around eleven. Excuse me, again." He said politely before walking out of the kitchen.

Jounouchi waited till his lover was completely out of hearing range before turning to look at his friends with a goofy grin. "The KC BC Final Rematch Championship? That has got to be the dumbest sounding tourney name I have ever heard!" He laughed hysterically, clutching his stomach.

Yugi smiled weakly, still convinced that the CEO was within earshot. "Seto's tournaments haven't disappointed us before." He reminded.

The Pharaoh abruptly stood up and he bowed his head. "I apologize but I need to go prepare my deck. It has been quite a while since I have used my cards and I wish to re-familiarize myself with them." He made a move to turn around but Yugi grabbed onto his arm.

"Wait, Yami. I'll come along too." Keeping his hand on Yami's arm, Yugi hopped off the stool.

"We will also be taking our leave." Marik said, bowing his head also. "Come, Malik."

Jou shrugged. "You guys can use the Vault later if you need to." He wiped down the countertop before coming to stand by his friends. At the confused looks he received, Jou grinned. "I haven't told you guys about the Vault? It's basically a room in the house where we keep all the Duel Monster cards. You can find practically every card in existence as well as a few new ones that we had custom-made. You can all use it if you like; it's just down that hall right there." Jou said, pointing his finger out in the hallway to the door on their left. "If you want, I can show you it real quick. You guys can have a look around and decide then."

"That sounds good to me." Malik nodded. He turned to his darkness who shrugged. He allowed himself to be pulled forward by the smaller Egyptian. Likewise, Yami and Yugi followed suit. Jounouchi walked them towards the door and opened the door. The room was dark for now but lifting a finger, Jou flicked on the light switch.

Gasps of surprised were then heard after Jou had done so.

The room was littered with Duel Monsters cards. They were preserved in the outmost care and organized based on the type of card; monster, magic, trap, fusion, and then ritual. The room seemed to go for miles and Yami, Yugi, Malik, and Marik stood there in awe. "Yeah, the Vault's nice, huh?" Jou grinned, knowingly. "Here, I'll show you some of the newer ones." He walked over to the monster side first. He pointed a finger to the effect monster cards. "This is a Red Eyes Black Chick card and then here's a Red Eyes Black Wyvern card. I had them made for my deck a couple years ago." The blonde gestured to another card. "This one here is called the White Stone of Legend; it was made for Seto." He moved onto the some other effect monster cards, "I had these made for Yugi in case he ever needed it. This is called Dark Eradicator Warlock. This other one here is called Sorcerer of Dark Magic."

Yami and Yugi gasped in shock, they hadn't even heard of these cards before! Certainly they would make great additions to their decks. Marik and Malik looked amazed but still slightly disinterested for they had no need for these cards in their deck.

"Moving onwards to the fusion monsters, Seto and I had this one custom-made." He pointed to the purple tinted card with a smile. "It's a fusion monster called Violent Mithril Dragon (2), it's a fusion of our two monsters; The Blues Eyes White Dragon and Red Eyes Black dragon." He ran his thumb over the card affectionately, reminding him of his blue-eyed lover. With a cheery grin, he spread his arms with his palms facing up. "You guys can look around for other cards. Marik, Malik, you can find some cards over there to better suit your Immortality and Burn decks."

And with that, Jou bowed his head lowly. "Enjoy yourselves; remember to be ready in an hour." He waved to his friends as he left the Vault, making his way to the bedroom he shared with Kaiba so that he could prepare himself and his deck. He also needed to make some more phone calls like his lover.

"These cards are amazing." Marik murmured, picking up a Dark Spell Regeneration card and reading the description quickly. He repeated that process over and over; picking up a card, reading it, drifting over to another card and then repeat. "These could be of great help during the duels I will face today." Giving his a light a look, Marik excused himself to search for other powerful cards he could utilize in his deck.

"He looks happy." Yugi commented lightly with a smile. He leaned his head against Malik's side and gave his friend a knowing look. "You look happy too; it must be nice having someone to care for." He felt the Pharaoh's eyes on his back but he chose to ignore them.

"Yeah, it's still crazy how things have turned out though." Malik agreed with a chuckle. He wrapped a tan arm around the boy's shoulders. "You have someone too, you know, someone that cares." Giving the boy a small wink, Malik dislodged himself from Yugi and went on a search for cards he could use in his own deck.

Amethyst eyes blinked in confusion. "What did he mean by that?" Yugi asked himself. Did he really have someone? Almost instinctively, he turned his attention to the Pharaoh who was currently looking at him with hard, crimson eyes. Their eyes connected; bolts of lightning surging through their bodies. Shaking his head in dismay, Yugi looked away and Yami closed his eyes in defeat.

The Pharaoh came to stand beside his partner, sensing tension within Yugi's mind. "Is something troubling you, Yugi?" He raised a thin brow at the smaller boy next to him. "Is it that you're confused as to which cards you want to use in your deck? I can be of assistance if you'd like."

"Um, yes, that's right." The King of Games lied somewhat awkwardly. He allowed himself to be steered away by Yami who was pointing out a variety of cards that would be good for his deck. He wasn't focused on what his darkness was saying, he barely registered the words Yami was even saying. 'What did Malik mean by that? Surely, he didn't mean him' Yugi thought, glancing at the Pharaoh. Yami was distracted by all the cards so he hadn't heard his light's pondering thoughts. 'I have to be more careful' he thought finally.

The four friends spent the remaining of their time choosing and organizing their decks for the tournament that was soon coming. Jounouchi and Kaiba took to their rooms, phones attached to their ears as they made a series of calls to news reporters and broadcasting companies. They took their time, making sure to prepare themselves for the most memorable tournament of their lives.

* * *

><p>"I don't think this is such a good idea anymore, Bakura!" Ryou whispered loudly with a sharp jab to the Thief King's torso. He and his darkness had entered the room of Ryou's Studio Art class and the white haired man could not help but feel nervous. Although Bakura ignored them, several students were giving him wary looks. It was understandable; the Thief King looked very intimidating as he stood protectively behind Ryou. The scar on Bakura's cheek didn't seem to help either. "I don't know what I was thinking when I agree to let you come!" Ryou cried, hysterically.<p>

Bakura looked bored as he watched his light timidly sit onto his painter's stool. He honestly didn't know why Ryou was in such a fuss. Surveying the surroundings, Bakura saw other students sitting in their stools and taking out their artistic mediums. He crossed his arms and shrugged nonchalantly. "I would've come even if you said not to."

The room was set up with many stools and easels arranged into a circle with a pedestal located in the middle. Towards the side was a large office desk which probably belonged to the art professor. The desk was cluttered with a variety of paints; acrylic, watercolor, oil, pastel and many other types of painting media. In a large jar, there stood many different types of paintbrushes with both long and thin bristles attached to them.

Sky blue eyes swiftly looked towards the door and Bakura frowned. With his arms still crossed, he let out a soft grunt. "It looks like your professor is here." He announced and it didn't go unnoticed by the other students for they frantically straightened up in their seats. Ryou let out a squeak and sat up straight also, his hands tucked into his lap. The Thief King stood behind him with a bored expression.

The professor looked to be in her early 30's yet she had the figure of a model. She was tall and slender with hair like silk. She had her fiery red pulled up into a bun with two long locks of hair down by her face. She had piercing emerald eyes and wore a black sophisticated dress that frilled at the bottom. Around her waist was a lace scarf tied around to look like a belt and she had glittering diamonds on her necklace. She wore black boots with a small platform underneath and Bakura scoffed at her appearance; she looked like she was ready to go out, not teach an art class.

"Hello students, I am Sakino Setsuna but please refer to me as just Setsuna. I've no desire for professionalism here." She said, her tone light and friendly. She placed her briefcase on her chair and stood behind it with a dazzling smile. "Welcome to Studio Art, I hope you will regard me kindly as I will to all you." The students chorused their greetings and Ryou did so with a smile. "Art is like communication; it appeals to the senses, emotions, and intellect of every person in this room. It's diverse, captivating, and most definitely, beautiful. Take an abstract look on things and you'll be rewarded with stunningly charismatic art." She instructed, taking a walk around the room. Her eyes settled upon the Thief King and she let out a hum. "Who might you be?"

Bakura didn't reply, his attention just shifted to the window to look outside.

Ryou blushed. "This is –" a realization hit him and he cursed mentally in his mind. / Bakura, what should I say? I can't tell her your name is Bakura too! She'll refer to me as Bakura so I don't want to make her confused! / he panicked. His eyes grew wide as his mind scrambled for an answer.

The Thief King, with his eyes still trained outside, inclined his head in a small greeting. "My name is Touzoku Akefia (3)." He said simply. Ryou's eyes blinked and he gave his darkness a confusingly look.

"Touzoku Akefia? She repeated. "What brings you here, Touzoku?" The professor asked. She tilted her head to the side and raised a thin brow, waiting for the Thief King's answer. "Are you a student in my class?"

"Obviously not." Bakura snidely returned. He ignored the dirty look Ryou gave him, he knew he wasn't being polite but he wasn't one to care. He was just here to watch over Ryou while the boy was at school.

Setsuna shrugged her shoulders at Bakura's sarcastic remark. "Well then, why are you here?"

"My apologies, Professor –" Ryou began but she cut him off.

"Setsuna is fine." The art teacher said with a kind smile. Despite her rather pompous clothes, she seemed like a gentle person.

"Right, Setsuna, well Akefia here is my old brother." Ryou awkwardly lied, biting his tongue slightly. In his head, he heard Bakura howling in laughter though the Thief King's face was hard as stone; it was amazing how well he could keep such a serious look on his face. "He just came back from the States and I didn't want him to be alone so I took him with me…to class." He finished lamely. 'Damn, she'll never believe that!' He cursed himself, in his head. Ryou and Bakura may have shared some similar characteristics but it definitely wasn't enough to justify his statement. "His last name is different because our parents divorced and our father remarried." The way Ryou said his last sentence almost seemed like a question but the professor didn't seem to notice.

"Ah, I see. Well then, Touzoku, welcome to my class. You may participate if you desire; my students all have a wide range of talent." This lady must have been overly generous or just too happy, Ryou didn't know. His eyes were wide with shock at how gullible his teacher was but least she was okay with the fact that he brought a thief with him to school. Of course she didn't know Bakura was a thief so it worked out for the best.

"No, I'm fine here." Bakura said, finally looking at her. He didn't know what to make of her; he neither liked nor disliked her. She seemed nice enough but he wasn't one to tolerate excessively happy people for long periods of time.

Setsuna smiled another cheery smile and the Thief King's hand twitched, desperately wanting to cut off her lips with the scalpel he saw in another student's schoolbag. "I see, well since you're here, may I please ask for your assistance?" She asked, her tone sugary and sweet.

"No."

/ _Be nice, otherwise she'll kick you out!_ / Ryou's voice chided.

Bakura let out a very loud sigh and lowered his arms to the side. "What is it?"

The professor's smile only got bigger. She gave him a look from head to toe, stepping around him and rubbing her chin thoughtfully. Her eyes studied him with great detail and she hummed every now then as she surveyed him. Bakura growled lowly, uncomfortable with the way she looked at him. "Today the lecture focuses on reference. I want my students to be able to study a reference and paint in response to it. Detail is crucial and must be executed with finesse and technique. Touzoku, if you would, please walk towards that pedestal there and stand on it." Setsuna said, gesturing to the middle of the classroom.

'What the hell?' Bakura thought confusingly. Shooting a wary glance at Ryou, he remained where he was. Ryou smiled reassuringly and nodded; he knew why his professor had told Bakura to stand on the pedestal but he chose to keep quiet for now. The Thief King's face turned blank as he did as he was told. "Now what?" He asked in an annoyed voice. He had ignored the stares earlier but he was beginning to tire of it all. Light blue eyes glared in all directions and the students averted their eyes fearfully when Bakura's fangs slipped out.

Setsuna turned to her students and folded her hands behind her back. "Everyone, I want you to paint Touzoku. Please make sure to pay attention to details, creases in fabric, shadows on the face, and other features." She pinched the fabric on Bakura's shoulder in support, "Capture the movement of Touzoku's shirt. Do you see this crease? Pay extra close attention to how it flows with his body. I want you to communicate with me through art." Bakura's patience was beginning to wane, how dare this woman touch him so freely? His lips pulled back in a snarl and he made a move but –

/ _Don't you dare! _/ Ryou's shouted through their mind link. / _If you so much as bite, stab, or send her to the Shadow Realm, I will make sure you regret it!_ / He threatened dangerously. Bakura looked at his light and merely smirked in reply, loving how adorable Ryou looked when he was mad. At his darkness' nonchalant attitude, Ryou's fury grew. / _I mean it Bakura, don't you even dare!_ /

Bakura shrugged her off him roughly and jammed his hands in his pockets. "Well, let's get it over with." He impatiently said. He ignored the happy smile Setsuna sent his way and looked away. He watched as the students scrambled to begin their paintings of him. When his eyes would lock onto another student's, he smirked devilishly and they were quick to turn away. He eventually settled on looking at his light who was currently very focused on drawing him. Ryou's brows were knit in concentration and his paintbrush glided gracefully across the canvas. The white haired man took his time, wanting his painting of Bakura to be his greatest masterpiece to date.

/ / _How long must I do this?_ / / Bakura asked.

/ _An hour or so_ / Ryou muttered back distractedly. The Thief King's eyes widened at that, he couldn't believe he had to stand like this for an hour! / _Deal with it, you were the one who chose to accompany me to class_ /

Bakura couldn't argue with that. As much as it annoyed him to be ogled and studied, he kept his mouth shut. He knew he shouldn't complain because he brought it on himself. 'At least I'm with Ryou' he thought positively. He heard his light giggle at that and Bakura sent a dazzling smile his way before he resumed his usual scowl.

"Touzoku?" a meek, timid voice called, causing Bakura to turn his head to the side. He saw a boy who was terrifyingly trying to hide behind his easel.

"What?" he barked.

"Could you please turn a bit to the side? I'm having trouble painting your scar." He stuttered.

The Tomb Robber growled in irritation and the students let out choked gasps, visibly terrified of Bakura. Remembering his light's scolding words; he nodded mutely and shifted his head so the boy could get a better look. He heard a soft mumble of thanks before he let out another mental sigh. Although it seemed like longer to Bakura, a half hour had passed and the students were beginning to finish up their paintings. Throughout that whole time, many students kept asking him to move or shift depending on what they needed to draw. While Bakura had been nice the first few times, his patience was wearing very thinly. 'This is unfucking believable!' he screamed in his head.

Ryou hadn't heard him but that was because he didn't need to ask his darkness to shift. They had shared a body for many years and Ryou had his body practically memorized. All the drawings Ryou had of Bakura also helped. Lately after their confession, Ryou found himself studying and admiring his darkness' amazing body.

"Akefia." a lighter toned voice called and Bakura's eyes turned to slits at the use of his past, first name so freely. His gaze was met with a girl who fearlessly looked at him. "Move to the left, I want a better look at your back." She practically ordered. The nerve of that girl! He was the Thief King for Ra's sake!

That was the last straw. Black and purple smoke began to emerge and pour out from Bakura's body as his fists clenched. The air in the room began to chill and the students froze at seeing their breaths materializing in front of them. Low growls sounded from Bakura's throat as he glared at the girl who dared to tell him what to do. The room was beginning to fill with the purple haze and the students began to panic, even Setsuna looked frightened.

Ryou merely poke his head from around the easel. / _Stop it Bakura. There will be no banishing minds to the Shadow Realm today. _/ He gave his darkness another look before turning his attention back to his painting.

The Thief King let out a loud Egyptian curse in his head and closed his eyes briefly before reopening them. The smoke then disappeared and the air in the classroom felt warm. The students all were disoriented as they started looking about, probably to make sure if they were going insane or not. Setsuna tried to busy herself with looking over their paintings but everyone could tell she was beginning to feel not so peppy. Not a word was a spoken in the classroom most likely out of fear for their lives.

Amongst his painting, Ryou's pocket vibrated. Casting his eyes downwards, he fished out his phone from his pocket and swiped at the screen, unlocking it. He read the text message quickly, slightly disapproving his best friend's use of informality.

Malik: _Do u nd Bakura want 2 duel at K's Tourney? (1)_

Letting out a soft grunt, Ryou looked around his easel to gaze into Bakura's eyes. Their eyes locked and Bakura raised a brow. / _Apparently Seto has a tournament coming up, do you wish to participate? I will if you do. _/

Bakura didn't even need to think for he nodded swiftly, / / _Yes, I will. Who else will be playing?_ / /

/ _I'm assuming the others will also be playing_ / Ryou then proceeded to type out his response. He placed his paintbrush back on the easel so that he could use both hands.

Ryou: Seto is having a tournament? When and where is it? Bakura says he will duel.

Malik: _Its 4 J's BD, u in or not? At KL around 2 _

Ryou in turn relayed that information to Bakura who hummed softly through their mind link.

/ / _Tell Malik to get our decks in the night table's drawer_ / /

Ryou: Sure, that is fine. Could you please get our decks? They should be in the drawer of the night table.

Malik: _Yea, c u then!_

The painter locked his phone and slid it back into his pocket. He flashed his darkness a winning smile for he knew that Bakura was ecstatic at being able to duel again. He knew of his passion and it overjoyed him that Bakura would be able to do something he loved. Ryou felt excitement from the Thief King's side of their mind link and he couldn't help but smile. A little more time passed and Bakura's voice chimed into his mind, / / _How does it look?_ / /

Ryou sent a mental picture of the painting he had been working on to Bakura and smiled knowingly once he heard Bakura whistle. / _Thanks Bakura, I'm glad you like it / _He stretched out his limbs and raised his hand to get his professor's attention. "I finished my painting, may Bakura and I leave? We have an important family gathering to attend."

/ / _Yes! Ra's light shines on me today!_ / / Bakura shouted, triumphantly. Not bothering to let Ryou's professor reply, Bakura stepped off the platform and walked forward to stand behind his light.

"I'm sorry Bakura but the other students haven't finished their paintings." Setsuna replied, looking at all her students. Ryou faltered at that but he refused to frown. He almost forgot that she would refer to him by his last name.

"We're leaving." Bakura announced, picking the boy up by the back of his collar. A tan hand reached out to grab Ryou's schoolbag and Ryou barely had enough time to grab his discarded trench coat. It was amazing how easily Bakura could not only carry Ryou but also his school bag; he wasn't even breaking a sweat! Despite Ryou's struggles, Bakura kept going.

"Bakura!" Setsuna cried out, moving forward to stop the two.

A smirk crept its way onto the Thief King's lips and dark smoke puffed around him. It wisp and fluttered about, chilling the air around him. The professor took a step back as the familiar smoke from before filled the air. Ryou let out a defeated sigh as he hung limp in Bakura's grasps and Bakura cackled darkly, walking out the door. The screams from the classroom dulled and quieted down the further they got from the classroom and Bakura nodded in approval. "It's time to go, Ryou." His voice sang.

"She's going to kick me out of her class. She's going to kick me out of her class!" Ryou wailed, covering his face. "I knew I shouldn't have brought you! I don't know what I was thinking! I should have just left peacefully but I didn't! I didn't even get to take the painting with me!" The boy sobbed.

Light blue eyes rolled. "Must you bitch and whine?"

Ryou only cried harder and flailed his arms wildly. "My art class! My beautiful, studio art class! I had so much potential, it won't be recognized anymore!"

Bakura sighed. "We're going to see Malik soon." Ryou let out a gasp and an eager smile was evident on his face. He knew his light loved nothing more to be with his roommate; they were best friends after all. "It makes me wonder if you get this happy to see me." He grumbled but Ryou hadn't heard, he was too busy thinking about Malik. Bakura walked them to the limo that was currently parked outside of the school. He threw open the door and climbed in, settling Ryou onto his lap. "Kaiba Land." He barked out to the chauffeur and the limo sped away.

The white haired man blushed at their position before giving his darkness an annoyed look. "You can be such a dick sometimes; did you really need to be so reckless?" Ryou slapped Bakura's chest. "You shouldn't send people to the Shadow Realm just because they make you angry. On that note, you get angry too easily, you need to learn to have more patience. Honestly, I can't believe –" he was cut off.

Bakura had silence him with a kiss. He caressed Ryou's cheek with his tan hand, running his thumb against it. He heard a soft sigh escape Ryou's lips and Bakura kissed him hungrily. Loving the taste of his light on his lips, Bakura involuntarily thrust his hips forward, enjoying the groan Ryou let out. The Thief King looked away and looked up into Ryou's beautiful brown eyes, a smirk on his lips. "You talk way too damn much sometimes." He quoted the boy from earlier.

The smaller boy smiled sweetly at his darkness and tilted his head upwards to kiss Bakura's batwing lock of hair. He tucked a lock of hair behind Bakura's ear and giggled when it flung back into place. "I didn't know your name was Akefia." He commented lightly.

"That was a long time ago." Bakura told him. He rubbed Ryou's hip affectionately and closed his eyes, leaning back. "Touzoku is the alias I assumed while I inhabited your body all those years ago. Akefia was my given name during my days as the Thief King. I just put two and two together."

"I like the name Bakura too." Ryou said with a cheery smile, watching as his darkness let out a laugh. The two talked and talked as their limosine brought them closer and closer to their destination.

* * *

><p>"What the hell is all this?" Marik blinked, looking around at the crowds of people running about. Kaiba Land was filled with people as they pranced and frolicked about. Several cosplayers littered the area, handing out balloons or other free gifts to the children that came up to them. The pointy haired blonde wasn't accustomed to seeing so many people at once and he let out an uncomfortable grunt. He, Malik, Yugi, Yami, Jou, and Kaiba all stood at the entrance in a row.<p>

While the other boys had don their usual clothes, Jounouchi and Kaiba wore crisp suits. They most likely did so to be professional at their event. "It's not so bad." Jou shrugged. "Just wait till they notice us." And with that, a series of names were shouted out. "Looks like they noticed us."

"It's Yugi, the King of Games!"

"Jounouchi, look over here!"

"Oh, it's Seto Kaiba!"

"Look, look! It's Malik Ishtar!"

Yami and Marik turned to look at each other awkwardly, knowing they wouldn't be recognized. Although they participated in many of the duels in Battle City, many people would recognize their lights and not them. They hesitantly took a step back as a mob of people rushed over to greet them. Children and adults alike surrounded the four but they didn't seem worried. They accepted the cheers with smiles and grins; Yugi, Jou, and Malik did anyway, Kaiba just looked smug.

"Yugi, Yugi! Look at my deck!"

"Mr. Kaiba! You see I'm working on an article for the school paper and well…"

"Do you see Malik Ishtar? He is so good looking!"

"Jou! Show me your Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

Kaiba coughed once to get the crowd to silence themselves and miraculously, they became quiet. He touched a finger to the KC emblem on his trench coat and a chime sounded. "The main event for today has changed, at 2:00 today; there will be tournament for the finalists of my Battle City. Those that wish to see it may go to the Kaiba Dome at that time; I suggest you all go soon for the seats may fill up quickly." His voice loudly boomed throughout the park. His talking collar must have had a microphone in it also. After the brunet's words, the crowd of people rapidly broke apart either to get their seats or explore the rest of the park.

Yugi chuckled and folded his hands behind his head. "Well that went well. How long do we have till the tournament starts?"

Jounouchi let out a hum as he glanced at his silver watch. "We still got about another hour or so." He snuck a quick look at his boyfriend who was currently checking his emails on his phone and turned to the others with a grin. "Let's ditch Seto and go check out the rides, huh?" Yugi and Malik grinned back, giving him a thumbs up. Jounouchi held out his hand and counted down slowly before taking Malik and Yugi's hand in his and sprinting away. As if knowing he would do that, Yugi and Malik grabbed the hands of their respective darknesses and pulled them along.

"Malik, where are you taking me?"

"Yugi, what's the meaning of this?"

Kaiba saw movement in the corner of his eye and watched his lover run away with their friends. He gripped his phone tightly in his hand as Kaiba's brow twitched. "Katsuya Jounouchi, you better get your ass back here! You have shit to do too! You better not leave this all to me!" He shouted.

Jounouchi turned to look over his shoulder and grinned goofily before running even faster. "Love you babe! I'll see you in an hour over at the Dome!"

"What the hell do I see in him?" Kaiba cursed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb. Letting an annoyed sigh, he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked in the direction of the KL Headquarters. "That idiotic, no-good, son of a bitch. That annoying douchebag!" Kaiba swore over and over. He was capable of handling things by himself but it always irked him how Jounouchi always seem to sneak away when he was needed. "If I face him in a duel, I'm going to kick his ass so fast." He promised.

* * *

><p>The five boys walked around the park with mixed emotions. Jounouchi, Yugi, and Malik were ecstatic at seeing all the rides Kaiba Land boasted while Yami and Marik looked uneasy. They were once spirits and had never experienced something like this before. The college students would gush at the roller coasters while Marik and Yami simply watched. Although Yugi and Malik tried to coax their darknesses into riding with them, they declined. With every little plea however, Marik began to crack.<p>

Yami sent the other Egyptian a small smile and spread his hands apologetically as he watched Malik drag Marik away. Jounouchi and Yugi were quick to follow them. "Marik, it's not that bad, really!" Malik cried, pulling the other blonde along. "You'll love the adrenaline rush!"

"I'm not so sure." Marik mumbled. While he did enjoy that one time KaibaCraft III had to speed away from the falling island during their times in the Virtual Reality, he wasn't so sure that this 'rollercoaster' would provide the same effect.

The Pharaoh watched them go with an amused expression. He stayed back only to watch and observe his friends. Yami had always been protective when it came to his friends and his time away hadn't changed that. The spirit that had occupied the Millennium Puzzle crossed his arms, his crimson orbs following their every move. He watched as their coaster ran its course until he frowned slightly. From the corner of his eyes, he saw his puzzle flash a golden color before the light disappeared. 'That was odd' he thought, looking at it thoughtfully. When it didn't do again, Yami hummed and walked forward to meet his friends. Malik, Jou, and Yugi were looking lively while Marik looked annoyed. His hair looked pointer than normal and the Pharaoh smirked upon seeing him. "Rollercoaster's not to your liking, Tomb Keeper?"

Marik twitched out that. "Silence yourself, Pharaoh." He growled out. His eyes immediately shot to his light who was quick to suppress a laugh. "And here I thought you were on my side." Marik proceeded to walk away but Malik let out a whine.

"I was kidding, I'm sorry!" Malik chased after his darker counterpart. "Marik, come back! I was kidding! It's okay if you didn't like the rollercoaster!" He enveloped his darkness in his arms and grinned, leaning up to kiss Marik's lips quickly.

"I don't think I can ever get use to that." Yami said, shaking his head. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. It still astounded him had one his greatest adversaries could be rendered down so easily.

"They're cute though, even you have to admit that." Jou grinned, elbowing Yami in the ribs. "You could have that too, you know!" He teased before running away to join his fellow blondes. There it was again – but what exactly was it? Yami looked downwards and his eyes connected with those of his partner's.

"Shall we go?" Yami asked, holding his hand out to Yugi. The King of Games grinned and placed his hand in his, allowing the Pharaoh to guide him to their friends. Amongst their walking, Yami let out a content sigh. "Yugi, there is something I still wish to talk to you about." Before Yugi could open his mouth to reply, Yami's hand squeezed gently. "Please, little one, you must hear me out." He pleaded softly.

Yugi looked into his darkness' eyes and saw a fire in them that he hadn't seen for a long time. Nodding his head, he agreed. "Alright, but later okay? I promise I will hear out you out soon." He saw the Pharaoh nod and the two walked over to join their friends. The two tri-color haired boys met up with Malik, Marik, and Jou.

"What do you guys think about going on a Ferris Wheel?" Malik asked, excitedly. He was sandwiched between Jou and Marik and was grinning. "We were thinking about getting on it, do you guys want to come too?"

"Come on, Yami! It'll be fun!" Yugi said invitingly. He tugged on the Pharaoh's hand and pulled him forward. Surprised by the boy's strength, Yami grunted and came to stand in front of Yugi. It didn't hit Yugi at how tall his darkness was until this very moment and Yugi found himself staring up into beautiful, wise crimson eyes. Yugi's hand hesitantly moved up grasp his darkness' waist…

"Come Pharaoh, you're wasting time." Marik chuckled darkly. He shoved Yami forward, causing Yugi to almost fall backwards if it had not been for Yami's quick reflexes. He ignored the glaring eyes of Yugi and Yami before walking forward with his light.

Jou grinned and upon realization, let out a small groan. "Oh man, now I won't have a riding buddy." He crossed his arms with a pout and looked at his friends. He spied the Egyptian blondes and ran up to meet them again. "I'm riding with you two, is that cool?" He saw Malik give him a cheery nod but Marik wasn't so agreeing. "Awe, don't be like that, Marik." Jou cooed, flirtatiously running a hand through Marik's blonde spikes.

"Don't tempt me, young one. I will send you to the Shadow Realm." Marik threatened easily. He growled and slapped Jou's hand away while Malik laughed at the two. He was never bothered when Jounouchi flirted with his darkness like that; Marik had proved to him countless times that he was Malik's and Malik's only. The five boys walked to the entrance of the Ferris Wheel and waited for their turn. Upon recognizing Jou, the staff was quick to give him a position in the front but the blonde waved it off with a hand; he wanted to wait just like everyone else. By the time it was their turn, Jou, Malik, and Yugi could barely hold in their excitement. The light blue passenger car shaped like the head of Blue Eyes paused in front of them and Yami held the door open for his light causing Yugi to raise his eyebrows.

/ What a gentleman. / Yugi teased, sending his darkness a smile. He climbed into the car and moved over so that Yami could sit beside him. He watched amusingly as Yami's own set of lips curved upwards into a handsome smile. He leaned against the Pharaoh and sighed contently, waving at their friends as the car shifted upwards.

Marik mirrored the Pharaoh and held the door open for Malik. Once his light climbed in however, he cut in front of Jou and threw him a nasty glare before stepping into the passenger car and shutting the door behind him. The door dulled out Jou's curse of 'Bastard!' and the Egyptian darkness raised his eyebrow smugly. Jounouchi threw open the door and plopped down beside Malik with an angry pout. The Ferris Wheel then began its course.

* * *

><p>Yugi pressed his face up against the clear, glass windows of the passenger car. The Ferris Wheel took them higher and higher till all the people down below looked like tiny little dots. He felt the Pharaoh place a hand on his shoulder and Yugi pulled away from the glass, looking at the Pharaoh. "Oh right," he said, remembering from early. He sat down politely and nodded for his darkness to begin speaking. "Go ahead, Yami. I'm listening." He encouraged.<p>

Yami took Yugi's small hand in his. "I'm going to talk and I want you to listen. Please refrain from speaking out; listen to my words and then you may respond. Is that alright, Yugi?" He asked.

The King of Games nodded swiftly. He had a general idea of what his darkness wanted to talk to him but in this situation, he knew he couldn't run away. After his realization this morning that he might actually be attracted to the Pharaoh, Yugi couldn't run away at all.

"We have been together for many years." Yami began, bowing his head slightly. "You unlocked my spirit years ago when you solved the Millennium Puzzle. You were just a boy then, a boy of only fourteen. I dueled by your side for two years and we faced some of the toughest opponents of your time. I stayed by your side, granted, I may of lost my way a couple times before you were always there to bring me back."

Yugi's heart tugged at his darkness' kind words. "You helped me too, Yami." He said breathlessly. "You've always protected me. You were always there when I needed you. You gave me friends. You gave me confidence. I was weak and –"

Yami silence the boy with a finger to his lips. "No, you are strong. You are so very strong, Yugi. You have always been strong."

The smaller boy placed his hand over Yami's and brought it down to his lap, never letting go of it. "You were my strength. I gained friends; because of you, Anzu, Honda, and Jounouchi became the best friends I could ever ask for. I was linked to so many wonderful people because of you."

"What do you see me as, Yugi? In these past few months that I've returned, I've spent more and more time with you. We've gotten closer than ever. I have my own body and my own heart." Yami whispered, moving Yugi's hand so it rested against his heart. "Do you feel it beating?"

"Yes, it's so strong." Yugi smiled. He was losing himself in the depths of Yami's eyes. He couldn't resist anymore, his rational side no longer was important. He leaned in closer to the Pharaoh but he didn't even realize his own actions.

"My heart beats strongly because I want to live for one purpose and one purpose only. I want to be your side and protect you always. I want to see you happy, I want to see you smile and I want to be the reason why your smile never leaves your face. Yugi, do you understand?" Yami asked. He desperately hoped that his light would understand his feelings now.

There was no point in denying it now and Yugi smiled happily. "Yami, I'm sorry I have been neglecting you for so long. I was scared and confused; I didn't think I should feel this way. We've been partners for long and you've always been my most precious friend. I didn't want to mess anything up, I was scared." He repeated himself. He ran a hand through his darkness' blonde spikes and leaned in even closer. "I'm not scared anymore, Yami."

"I would never hurt you." The Pharaoh promised in a low voice as he too leaned in. The kiss that was long in coming was so close; they were mere inches away from one another. Their eyes fluttered close and their lips barely touched when a loud, booming bolt of lightning roared through the sky.

"What was that?" Yugi questioned, pulling away abruptly. The two looked around and gasped in shock. The bumbling crowds of Kaiba Land all stood frozen in place while the sky darkened dangerously with bolts of lightning. The people all had frozen expressions of happiness, it seemed that time had stopped and they hadn't even noticed. "What's going on?" Yugi asked, leaning closer to Yami.

The Pharaoh wrapped a protective arm around Yugi as he came to stand behind his feet. "What's the meaning of this?" He shouted. His eyes quickly looked below their car to make sure Marik, Malik, and Jou were okay. His eyes connected with those of Marik's and Yami paled at the haunting look in his eyes. Yami clenched his hand into a tight fist and using all his strength, punched the glass surrounding them. It cracked under his profound strength and Yami shielded himself over Yugi so that glass would not pierce the boy's skin.

More and more lightning cackled about them and Yami growled out furiously. Over on Marik's end of the passenger car, the blonde was standing and holding the two smaller boys protectively in his arms. He reached behind him and pulled out the Millennium Rod. Holding the golden item up to the glass, the eye of Wdjat glowed brightly on his forehead and with a determined yell, the force of his shadow powers caused the glass around him to shatter. Just as Yami had done, Marik curled his body around Jou and Malik, protecting the two from the broken pieces of glass. Jounouchi peered out from underneath Marik and quickly reached out to press a button underneath the seat of the car; it was a panic button that would send an alert to the KLHQ where he knew Kaiba would come to help.

Purple smoke flooded the area and Marik's fists clenched at his side. "The Shadow Realm." He growled out and Malik gasped. "Pharaoh!" Marik called, still holding onto both the blondes below him. "I want you two to stay close to me." He ordered to Jou and Malik and they nodded in response.

A loud, piercing cry from the heavens sounded and the boys were deeply surprised. A large golden body came down from the darkened clouds and realization hit Marik. Raising his Millennium Rod to the skies, Marik shouted as loudly as he could, "Winged Dragon of Ra, your master summons you!" The great beast let out another piercing cry and tucked its wings to the side, making a fast and quick dive towards Marik.

"What's it doing here?" Yugi cried.

"Master Marik! He is coming!" The God of the Heavens' voice boomed throughout the park.

"Who's coming?" Malik demanded, standing up beside his darkness as Jou did the same. He refused to be scared and weak; he would stand by Marik's side to the very death if he needed too. Jounouchi must have felt the same; he was not one to stand down from a fight.

"The God of the Afterlife! Anubis!" The draconic phoenix shouted out, flapping its wings. It moved to shield both Marik and Yami's passenger cars. While it served the Pharaoh, it also held great fondness and respect for Marik.

That name shot a bolt of lightning throughout their spines and the boys let out a choked sound. Anubis must have been brought them to the Shadow Realm while they were busy not paying attention! That explained why The Winged Dragon of Ra had been able to touch down beside them.

"Call your monsters!" Marik ordered. The rest of the boys nodded in a determined fashion and raised their hands to the skies just as Marik had done. They weren't about to let Anubis wreak havoc upon the world and let the prophecy come true!

"Akai, come to me!" Jounouchi screamed. His duel spirit materialized in front of him and threw his head back in a loud roar of anger. The Red Eyes Black Dragon spread his wings in an intimidating fashion, his talons looking sharper and deadlier than before. 'I hope Seto comes soon!' he thought desperately.

"Slifer the Sky Dragon, appear!" Yami shouted and just like the God before it, the red dragon's long body appeared from the sky. It flew over to the Pharaoh and let out deafening roars from both of its mouths. The spikes glittered dangerously and its teeth looked sharp and deadly.

"I am here, Pharaoh. I am to your will." The Sky Dragon promised, curling its body around Yugi and Yami's passenger car.

"Dark Magician!" Yugi yelled. The sorcerer appeared in front of him and crossed his arms, his stand held tightly in his hand. He looked stronger than before and he tipped his head in Yugi and Yami's direction, determined to protect them both. His eyes connected with Yami's, crimson meeting blue and the Pharaoh nodded at his old friend.

"Lava Golem, arise!" Malik cried, holding his hand outwards. The great beast of the earth let out a gurgling sound as it rose up from the depths of the ground. Its hot, liquid spread throughout the ground, coating it flames of hot fire. The Lava Golem banged its cage hard against the ground and stood protectively in front of Malik. Their monsters hovered eagerly in front of their masters, masking sure they stayed close for maximum protection.

'Where are you, Seto?' Jounouchi thought frantically. His eyes swept over to look at his dragon and he could tell his monster was also feeling wary. The Blue Eyes Dragon was known for its power and in a fight; the Blue Eyes White Dragon's power rivaled that of the Egyptian Gods. While the Blue Eyes' true strength was in its power, the Red Eyes' strength was evident in its potential; together they were an unstoppable force (4). Akai didn't feel right unless his dragons were by his side.

A cold, eerie chill cooled the air around them and Yugi panted softly, his eyes wide at seeing his breath materializing in front of him. He felt Yami wrap an arm around his waist and he turned nervous eyes to his darkness. The Shadow Realm was draining his energy and he began to shake slightly. "Yami, I feel so weak." The arm around his waist tightened. "It's like its sapping me of my strength!"

"I will protect you, I promise." Yami swore. Sharing a look with his sky dragon, he hoisted Yugi up onto Slifer's great head before following suit. He stood protectively in front of Yugi as the Dark Magician floated to join them above. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Marik doing the same with Malik and Jounouchi.

"He is here!" Slifer roared out in fury.

The ground rumbled and a cracked before shattering completely, a mixture of purple and black smoke rising upwards. The cracks got bigger and bigger until a large fissure appeared. The smoke whirled about, coating the area with cold, shadowy smoke and a tall figure rose from the ground. Anubis raised his head and pointed his golden scepter to the sky. The clouds from above wisped in circles above him as if a hurricane had just hit and the boys held their arms up, shielding themselves from the harsh winds. The gales caused the smoke around Anubis to clear and the God of the Afterlife floated upwards. His body was gray and he was dressed in sophisticated Egyptian attire. He had on black pants that stopped till his knees, a large golden belt with an opal in the middle, a long flowing cape of the whitest fabric, golden arm braces on his arms and finally a golden headdress with another opal at the center. While his body was gray, his head was a midnight black and he had the face and snout of a spectral dog. A pulsating light thundered around him as he came to float in front of the Pharaoh. "Pharaoh." He greeted in a low voice.

"Anubis!" Yami roared, pushing Yugi further behind him. "Have you come to challenge me to a Shadow Game?" Slifer echoed its master's fury and let out another deafening roar but Anubis didn't even flinch.

A malicious smile crept its way onto Anubis' lips and he let out a harsh bark of laughter. "You must be eager to die! Look around you, Pharaoh!" He spread his arms out and gestured around them. "We are already in the shadows! I could banish your mind now if I wanted!" The evil man turned to Yugi and his smile turned deadly. "Hello again, little Yugi."

Yugi growled and took a step forward but his Dark Magician held his staff out, prohibiting his young master from going any further. His fists clenched at his side and an uncharacteristic snarl left his lips. "You tried to kill me! I almost lost a friend that day because of you!" The events that occurred that day fueled him with anger and it just seem to burst. A power surged around him and Anubis was blown back a couple feet but he didn't look fazed. The King of Games looked surprised at his own strength but he got over it quickly and fearlessly looked Anubis in the eyes. "You'll pay for what you did."

"I welcome the challenge." Anubis easily retorted. Another sadistic look crossed his face and he snapped his fingers.

"Ahh!" Yugi screamed, falling to his knees. He clutched at his ankle and screwed his eyes shut. He felt the most excruciating pain in the world; the scar on his ankle was burning intensely and he couldn't help but let out screams of pain.

"Yugi, what's wrong?" Yami cried, crouching downwards to hold his light in his arm. He cradled his small partner in his arms and shook him, trying to get his attention. "Yugi! Tell me what's hurting you!"

"I-I don't know!" Yugi's nails scraped across his skin and he threw his head back, another scream thundering from his throat. The scar on his ankle from Anubis' earlier visit lit up strangely, coating itself in red. The light was so bright that Yami had to avert his eyes slightly.

"Do you feel that pain, little Yugi? Does it hurt?" Anubis mocked.

Yami turned to the God and growled out angrily. "What are you doing to him?" He demanded.

"Yugi, no!" Jou cried. He quickly looked to his side and his eyes connected with those of ruby red. The blonde nodded swiftly and jumped off Ra's head onto the back of his Red Eyes Black Dragon. Despite the fact that he stood on scales, he stood with perfect balance. "Akai, fly!" He ordered and his loyal monster roared in response. Together, they sped towards the floating deity.

"Jounouchi, what are you doing? Come back!" Malik screamed after him. He made a move to go after his friend but Marik grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back behind him. Turning hard lilac eyes to his darkness, Malik's lip curled back in a snarl. "I'm not leaving him to die!" He yelled, slapping Marik's hand away.

"And I refuse to let you die!" Marik returned, pointing his Millennium Rod at Malik threateningly. The sharp curvature of the Rod's wings glinted against Malik's skin and Marik growled upon seeing his other self's scowl. He shoved Malik back behind him and stood in front of the boy protectively. "I swore that I would protect you!"

Anubis turned harsh eyes to the Egyptian blondes and a cruel smirk appeared. "Don't think I'm done with you yet, Ishtar. I'm coming for you next." He warned, his eyes look specifically at Malik.

Marik's eyes turned to slits in response and lightning flashed above him. "You will not!" The Winged Dragon of Ra let out a chilling shriek and flapped its wings faster than before. Embers of hot fire radiated off its wings as its body began to change shape. "Change into a being that cannot die!" He commanded his beloved monster to which it responded by transforming into its Phoenix form. Ra stretched out its wings as if it had been reborn, its flaming residue curling about.

"Anubis! I won't let you hurt my friends!" Jounouchi shouted and the God turned towards him with a bored expression. The blonde and his Red Eyes flew towards him with incredible speed but Anubis didn't look worried at all. "Inferno Fire Blast!" The Red Eyes roared and opened his mouth, a ball of flaming hot fire forming slowly. "Fire!" Jou screamed, pointing at the floating Anubis. The dragon reared back and following his master's orders, fired the molten blast at their enemy.

Anubis smirked at Jou's antic and welcomed the incoming blast. He raised a hand and waved it, causing Jou's attack to be redirected right back at Jou. They watched in horror at how easily the God had repelled Jou's attack.

"Jou, watch out!" Yugi cried to his best friend.

"Get out of there!" Yami yelled.

"You've got to hurry!" Malik shouted.

"Jounouchi!" Marik shouted, sending Ra to absorb the blast. He held onto Malik and pointed with his Millennium Rod at the fire blast. "Hurry, my pet! You must get to that blast before it reaches Jou!"

The street-smart blonde hadn't expected his attack to be redirected at him and before he could react, it blasted him and Akai. Holding his hands out to shield himself from the harsh flames, Jou struggled to remain standing. The Red Eyes Black Dragon bellowed in anger at seeing his master hurt and was quick to envelope the boys' form in his wings.

"You're not getting away that easily!" Anubis yelled. He raised a hand and a ball of flames, strikingly similar to Jou's earlier attack, formed at his hand. When it grew to a big enough size, Anubis thrust his hand forward and sent it in Jou's direction. The blast was too fast and it proceeded to hit Jou's Red Eyes and the dragon shrieked in pain, its grip on Jou loosening.

"Akai, get him out of there! Anubis is attacking again!" Yugi cried, desperately trying to help his best friend out. He struggled against Yami's arms, tears streaming down his face. "He'll die if we don't help him!" Amethyst eyes turned towards Yami, "You have to help him! Yami, please!"

He didn't need to be told twice, Yami sent Slifer spiraling downwards. "Onwards, Osiris!" Yami called, referring to Slifer by its Egyptian name. The red dragon roared in understanding and dove to try and catch Jounouchi and his Red Eyes Black Dragon. "Almost there, faster!" Slifer flew as fast as it could and dove underneath the two, curling its body to catch them both. To the horror however, Jou slipped out from his dragon's clutches and began plummeting towards the ground. "Jounouchi!" He and the others screamed in unison.

"Diabound, go!" A voice shouted and to their amazement, a large white snake god appeared, successfully catching the fallen blonde in its arms. Diabound came to float besides its master and gently set Jounouchi on the ground beside them. It curled its long tail around them, crossing his arms smugly.

"Bakura!" Marik shouted, recognizing the Thief King's monster.

Bakura and Ryou stood by Diabound's side, both looking furious at seeing Anubis attacking their friends. They had just arrived in Kaiba Land and went to investigate the strange happenings. The two saw the frozen patrons and the eeriness of the purple smoke and were quick to act. The gray haired man stood protectively in front of Ryou who was crouched down on the floor, holding Jou in his arms. "You dare show yourself to us, Anubis?" The Tomb Robber shouted, clenching his fists.

Anubis let out a harsh bark of laughter. "If it isn't the petty thief that united himself with Zorc," He said maliciously. He turned his blood red eyes to Ryou and another evil smirk appeared on his lips. "Don't get so comfortable Ryou; I'm coming for you next!"

Bakura's eyes narrowed to slits at that and he let out a roar of fury. "How dare you threaten the life of my light? You will pay for that!" He looked towards the skies and his eyes connected with that of his friends. An understanding formed between them and they all nodded in agreement. "Diabound, use Helical Shockwave! Kill this fool!" He ordered, pointing at the floating God.

"Use your Dark Magic Attack!" Yugi commanded. His Dark Magician proceeded to raise his staff, sending a powerful wave of dark magic at the God.

"Lightning Shot, Slifer!" The sky dragon opened its mouth and a blast of yellow lightning formed in its mouth. It threw its head back and fired its attacked, aiming for the kill.

"Destructive Conflagration!" Marik ordered his pet. The Winged Dragon of Ra spread its wings, the embers from its wings burning harshly. Like arrows, they formed sharp points and with a triumphant cry, Ra sent them to attack Anubis.

"Lava Avalanche!" The Lava Golem raised its arms as its body secreted more and more lava. It let out a groan as it thrust its forward, sending that lava in the direction of Anubis.

Together, they simultaneously aimed their attacks at Anubis who merely cackled in laughter. He waited for just the right moment, right when their attacks combined to be one, and held out his hand. He turned his palm to face outwards and just like before, he sent their attacks right back at them with a simple push of his hand. "You weak-minded fools! You could never defeat me so easily!"

Marik stood his ground in front of Malik, determined to take the attack in Malik's place. Just like Marik, Yami stood protectively in front of his smaller light. Bakura raised both his arms in front of him, willing the attack to hit him so he could save both Ryou and Jounouchi. Their monsters reacted to Anubis' attack and moved backwards to help but then –

Three blasts of white and blue cut through the ball of attacks easily and three very familiar roars thundered throughout the park. Malik, Ryou, Bakura, Marik, Yugi, and Yami turned in direction of the roars and they let out cheers. Kaiba stood atop the back of Irtyu and he was flanked on both sides by Kisara and Aoi. His eyes were like ice at the sight of Anubis and his unconscious lover. "Go my Blues Eyes, use your White Lightning!" He ordered. The dragons roared in approval and sent three blasts of lightning towards Anubis.

"It's those blasted White Dragons again!" Anubis cursed, his expression now turning to one of worry. He held his scepter to defend himself and tucked his head behind it. He knew he couldn't withstand the power of their divine light at this stage and he growled his weakness. "I'll be back for you yet!" He promised and with a flash of blinding light, disappeared. The smoke that had once occupied the air vanished in a quick second and color was beginning to fill the area again. The Dark Magician, Lava Golem, Winged Dragon of Ra, Slifer the Sky Dragon, Diabound let out their final cries before they too disappeared with the shadows. Only Kaiba's dragons and Jou's Red Eyes Black Dragon remained, though they had returned to their transparent consistency.

Yami quickly took Yugi's into his arms and landed on his feet gracefully despite the fact that they had been very high up in the air. Likewise, Marik did the same. They set their lights on the ground and hurried to Bakura, Ryou, and Kaiba's side. Yugi crouched down and looked fearfully at Jou. "Is he going to be okay?"

"He's just unconscious, he'll wake up soon." Ryou gently comforted, brushing Jou's bangs out of his eyes. He looked up at Kaiba and moved away so that the CEO could pick Jounouchi up. "I'm sorry Seto, we were too far away… we could've prevented this if we had –"

"Thank you." Kaiba cut him off, bowing his head lowly. He turned to Bakura and also bowed. "Thank you to you too, for saving him." The brunet saw Bakura nod his head in response and Kaiba quickly turned to all his friends. "Come with me, I'm taking him back to HQ. We'll discuss this there." With agreeing looks, the six boys followed Kaiba to his headquarters at Kaiba Land. As they left the area, color was fully restored and the once frozen people looked lively again as they conversed and walked about in the park – it was almost as if they had been stuck in time and were now free.

* * *

><p>The seven boys were all settled in Kaiba's office room and were located closely within each other. Kaiba had placed his lover down on the couch and stood beside him, making sure he was fine and well. His eyes raked over Jou's frame checking for any cuts or bruises and his eyes settled upon the mark on Jou's forearm.<p>

"It must have been when Anubis redirected his attack at him, he probably got burned." Yami explained, coming up to stand behind the tall brunet. He placed a hand on the strong shoulder and the Pharaoh frowned at how tense Kaiba was. "He'll awake soon, Kaiba." He comforted. He watched as his light sat on the ground by Jou's head, mumbling soothing words to him in his attempts to rouse the blonde awake.

"I know he will." Kaiba agreed softly. When he had received the alert for the Ferris Wheel, he knew it had to of been Jounouchi who pressed it. He remembered how his heart tightened at the thought of his lover being hurt and fortunately, he had come just in time. "I shouldn't have left his side."

Bakura crossed his arms. "There was nothing you could've done differently. Nonetheless, you saved us and for that, we are eternally grateful." His eyes swept over to Ryou who was busy checking to see if Malik or Marik had sustained any injuries. Yami and Yugi had already been thoroughly checked by Ryou and so they were free to roam.

"Anubis aims to cripple us when we are weak." Marik spoke up, glaring at nothing in particular. He was angry at the threat Anubis had put on Malik and was just angry in general; Malik had been threatened, Jou had been injured, and the others had also been threatened. "I want to kill him." A shadow of his evil grimace flashed on his face before it disappeared.

"We will have our chance." Yami promised, casting his eyes downwards at Yugi who was still busying himself with Jounouchi. "And when we see him again, we will show no mercy." The Pharaoh clenched his fists determinedly.

"Jou's awake!" Yugi cried and the others hurried to surround the blonde on the couch with Kaiba being the closest. "How are you feeling, Jou? Are you okay?" Yugi asked, rubbing the blonde's cheek.

Jounouchi let out a groan and stretched out his limbs. His lips curled into a snarl as he clutched his burned forearm. "What the hell?" He looked at the burn mark before snapping his attention upwards. "Wait, where's Anubis? What the hell happened?"

"He redirected your attack at you." Malik explained, coming to sit on the arm of Jou's couch. "Your Red Eyes tried to save you but then Anubis fired another shot at you, it was pretty cheap. Slifer tried to catch but you slipped out of their grasp." He nodded his head firstly at Yami before then tilting his head to Bakura. "Bakura's Diabound caught you in time before you hit the ground."

The blonde played out the events in his head and turned to the Egyptians. His honey eyes connected with those of crimson red and light blue. "Thank you." He said sincerely. "I owe you my life." They bowed their heads in understanding. "What happens from here?" He asked to everyone in the room.

"We wait." Yugi said uncomfortably. He saw all eyes looking at him and he exhaled softly. "We can't do anything but wait. We won't when he'll strike next or who he'll strike at. The best thing we can do is stay together. Based on what happened today, Anubis can't take us when we're all together." His eyes mainly settled on Kaiba. "Something happened when he saw your dragons, Seto and I think we need to find out what."

"He did seem awfully different when Kaiba came." Malik agreed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Anubis was so confident before but when he saw Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragons, something in him changed."

"If that's so, there is work to be done." Kaiba said, crossing his arms. "I saw we take it one day at a time. For now, our leads are my dragons. Perhaps we can study them more and find out what exactly about them terrifies Anubis." He turned his sapphire blues to Yami. "Do you remember anything Priest Seto might have said about Kisara and her hidden powers?"

"Not that I can recall." Yami frowned.

"I thought so." He turned back to the rest of his friends and shrugged his shoulders. "As I said before, we'll take it one day at a time. We'll each do our part, we always have." The brunet's wise words brought an immense amount of comfort to the room. "We'll face this thing together and as much I hate having to deal with this kind of shit, we're in this together." They all nodded in agreement. "How are you feeling, dumbass?" Kaiba asked his lover.

Jou rolled his eyes at his lover's pathetic excuse for a pet name. "I'm fine, thanks for asking, dick. And before you ask, I'm still going to duel today. It's just a small scratch, it'll go away soon. The main event is far more important that any dumb scratch." To prove his point, Jounouchi jumped to his feet. "The tournament is still on."

Kaiba smirked at his lover's perseverance. "That settles it then. The tournament will go on as planned. Prepare yourselves, my friends; this will be the biggest tournament of your life. I suggest you all ready your decks one last time." He was met with different sets of eyes and Kaiba's smirked only widen at the fierce competitiveness in them. He proceeded to do some more trash talk to rouse up more competitiveness in the air.

Although he had been listening, Yami looked to his side when he felt a tug on his sleeveless shirt. He saw that it had been Yugi who had done so and the Pharaoh raised a brow. / / What is it, little one? / / He asked through their mind link so he wouldn't disturb Kaiba's monologue.

/ The thing we talked about earlier today, can we finish it at home? /

Yami smiled genuinely. / / Of course, Yugi. / / He promised.

* * *

><p>"Welcome to the KC BC Final Rematch Championship!" Mokuba's voice boom throughout the stadium and he twirled his microphone eagerly in his hand. He was standing in the center of the Kaiba Dome on top of a very tall pedestal. Behind him was the main stage of the event where the duels would take place. He was dressed in his blue school uniform but still he looked stunningly handsome. The crowd roared in excitement and Mokuba grinned. "Are you all ready for the charity event?" He paused for effect and the crowd granted it, screaming louder than before. "As you know, this event is being broadcasted throughout all of Domino but here's something you all probably didn't know, you can tune into our website and even the T.V to watch! We're streaming on everything for your viewing pleasures! We're trying to raise money for Glaucoma operations and our goal for today is 45 million yen, can you all do that?" The crowed chorused in motivation. "I'm afraid that there have been a few changes though." Mokuba said with a toothy grin. The crowd quickly quieted at that. "I know we promised you a duel between my brother and Jounouchi but we have something even better planned. Today's event will be in the form of a tag-team tournament!" Mokuba pointed to the stage and it suddenly got dark on stage.<p>

A figure stepped out and the spotlight shined, revealing Yugi. Loud screams were heard at the reveal of Yugi. "I present to you, ladies and gentlemen, Motou Yugi! He is the undisputed King of Games and has agreed to come out of retirement for our charity event!" Yugi blushed and waved awkwardly, still shy around big crowds. He heard Yami's chuckle in his head and flashed his darkness a pout.

The spotlight shifted to Yugi's right to expose the Pharaoh. "Everyone, I would like you to meet Yami! He and Yugi won Battle City and Yami has agreed to participate in our charity event! Everyone, please show him your appreciation!" The mob of people screamed loudly at seeing the Pharaoh, he was after all another version Yugi (albeit with more sex appeal).

/ / Don't you think they're going to wonder how we both won the tournament? / / Yami asked smugly.

/ Maybe, they won't think about it. I imagine they're all giddy at the fact that I'm here / Yugi said with a cheery smile.

The spotlight moved again. "I'm sure he doesn't need an introduction because you all know who this is! It's my older brother, Seto Kaiba!" Mokuba announced, raising his arm. High pitched screams drowned out the other screams and Kaiba growled in annoyance. "You have him to thank for this wonderful establishment and he has worked very hard to give you all the best amusement park in Japan!" Kaiba rolled his eyes at his brother's introduction and crossed his arm with a small sneer.

The spotlight of coursed moved again, revealing Jou. Before Mokuba could even begin his introduction, the crowd exploded in applause and of course, Jou smirked arrogantly, pointing a finger to the ceiling. "This, ladies and gentlemen, is Katsuya Jounouchi! He was runner up in Duelist Kingdom and placed fourth in the Battle City tournament! You also have him to thank for organizing this charity! His sister Shizuka had Glaucoma and so he aims to help others in need!" Mokuba then smirked devilishly. "And I'm proud to call him my new brother-in-law!"

The crowd became deathly silent before exploding in cheers, whistles, and cries.

Jou's face lit up like a tomato while Kaiba glared murderously at his teenaged brother. "You better fucking stick to the script little bro or else I'm cutting your allowance for a goddamn month!" The blonde rubbed the back of his head and looked downwards in embarrassment, his arrogance now gone.

Mokuba squeaked at that and let out a small chuckle. "Just kidding! Anyway, moving on." The spotlight shifted to reveal Ryou. "Although he didn't place very high in the tournament, I would like to present Ryou! He's got hair like snow and eyes like chocolate! You ladies remember him, don't you?" Mokuba added with a wink and Ryou blushed cutely. Whistles and loving sighs were heard throughout the crowd causing Ryou to blush even more.

Bakura growled at that. "You better watch your tongue!" He threatened the younger Kaiba. Mokuba cringed and looked to Kaiba for protection but the elder Kaiba scoffed, looking away. He must have still been annoyed for Mokuba's earlier statement.

"Moving on again!" The spotlight shined on Bakura who was looking positively irked and annoyed as he stood with his arms crossed. Again, the female population of the Kaiba Dome screamed loudly at seeing him. "This is Bakura! Don't let his face scare you, he is an amazing duelist! Like Ryou, he didn't place so high in the tournament but I can assure you he is of dueling legend!" the raven haired boy said, sucking up to the Thief King slightly to avoid being harmed. Bakura gave him another glare but remained where he was.

The spotlight loves to move. "Ladies and especially gentlemen, I give to you Malik Ishtar! He was the runner up in Battle City! Although he forfeited his match to Yugi and Yami, their duel could never be forgotten! Again, Malik Ishtar!" The Egyptian waved softly, his brows knitting slightly at all the manly cheers he heard. He sighed to himself knowing it was because of his effeminate style of dress.

/ / **I didn't realize you had so many adoring fans** / / Marik dryly said.

Malik laughed awkwardly. / **Sorry, Marik** /

Marik closed his eyes, his fingers wrapped around the Millennium Rod's hilt. He wasn't a jealous person but he definitely didn't like all the sounds he heard from the crowd when they saw Malik. His lilac eyes opened as the spotlight dawned on him. While there had been manly cheers about Malik, the female and male population boomed at seeing the pointy haired blonde. "Lastly, I present to you, Marik Ishtar! They aren't brothers, where did you get that ridiculous idea? He came in second in the Battle City finals and he's here to show all of you his out of this realm dueling skills!"

Malik held in a laugh at Mokuba's choice of words, covering his mouth slightly. He saw Marik wink at him and he grinned back. The eight boys came to stand closer together and Kaiba held his hand out to Mokuba who quickly threw the microphone. The CEO caught it with ease. "Welcome to the KC BC Final Rematch Championship!" He greeted, raising his arms.

As if it was possible, the crowd was even louder than before. It's surprising that no one was deaf yet.

"Turn your attention to the center of stage!" Kaiba instructed and the stage broke apart to reveal a mechanical Blue Eyes White Dragon. It was the very same one that had been used on KaibaCraft III during the times of Battle City. "Every duelist has been assigned a number. Gaze upon the screen and commit it to memory!" A huge LCD screen appeared at the ceiling and pictures of all eight duelist appeared on the screen.

Kaiba: 1  
>Jounouchi: 2<br>Marik: 3  
>Yugi: 4<br>Bakura: 5  
>Malik: 6<br>Yami: 7  
>Ryou: 8<p>

"And now, we will randomly choose the pairings for our tournament!" At Kaiba's signal, the balls numbered 1-8 began to spin. The boys watched in anticipation and leaned in closer. They repeated this process many times before the screen changed to show the tag-teams. "Team 1 will be Marik and Jounouchi! Team 2 consists of Yugi and Ryou! Team 3 will be Bakura and myself! And lastly, Team 4 will be Yami and Malik!"

The boys shifted so they stood beside their partners. Yugi and Ryou stood by each other with excited smiles, not having had the chance to partner up before. Marik stood by Jou's side with a winning smirk and Jou's grinned in exhilaration. Yami and Malik each had a hand on their hips as they smirked knowingly; they were very competitive when it came to Duel Monsters. Bakura stood shoulder to shoulder with Kaiba and the two blue eyed men crossed their arms arrogantly.

Mokuba, who had the microphone back, held the device up to his mouth. "Let's find out the duels for today, shall we? Run the numbers!" The Blue Eyes did just that and spit out two numbers. "It looks like Team 1 will face Team 4! That means the following duel will be Team 2 and Team 3! This will be one hell of a duel! I hope you all are ready because the tournament starts now! Marik and Jou versus Yami and Malik!"

* * *

><p>Author's Notes: Hello, me again. It's been a week since my last update, I think? I'm sorry if this took a long time for me to get out; I wanted to get a lot done in this chapter. I hope you all liked it! Anubis decided to show his ugly mug! The next chapter will most likely be about the tournament and Jou's birthday party after the duel. Let's hope I can write a couple of juicy duels. Another reason why this took a while to write was cause I had to research some strategies the boys would use in their duels. Yay for the longest chapter to date! Here's a fun fact for you all Puppyshippers to ponder, did you guys know that in the part where Jou and Yugi duel at the pier he wasn't saved by Shizuka in the manga? Yep, Kaiba kicked the key into the water so Jou could get it! How sweet : ) And then there's that part where Jou, his soul gone because of the Orichacos, fell out of Honda's arms only to be caught by Kaiba himself in the anime! Plus did you guys know that Kazuki Takahashi originally wanted Bakura to be some sort of vampire? That's why Bakura seems to have such a lust for blood! Are my Puzzleshippers happy with this chapter?<p>

(1): I really hate when people text like Malik! Shorthand texting really grinds my gears! I'm like Ryou, I type everything out. It especially gets on my nerves when they just send me 'k' like what the motherflippin'!  
>(2): It's suppose to be play on Violet, you know blue and red equals purple. I just randomly googled something and it sounded cool so I used it.<br>(3): I know Akefia is just a fan name but its sexy, like Bakura. So I used it. Touzoku is real though, they referred to him by that several times.  
>(4): Its on yugioh wikia. The Red Eyes Black Dragon is said to rival the Blue Eyes White Dragon: Potential for Jou and Power for Kaiba. Cute, huh?<p>

Read and Review please! I would love to get 100 before chapter 10 but I digress.

Final Words: 22.5k  
>Final Characters: 100k (holy shite!)<br>Final Pages: 33


	10. Revamp I

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! or its characters

Chapter: 10 "**Revamp**"

Author's Notes: I wrote a shitload of words last chapter! We have successfully made it to 100k+ words in this story and I would say it's a definite milestone! Okay so I totally forgot that since Yami or Yugi have all the Egyptian God cards, that would mean Marik would be without the Winged Dragon of Ra. SHITE. That's what I'm thinking right now but hopefully I can make it work…somehow. I kind of have an idea to make it work! I apologize in advance for the weirdness of this chapter. Duels aren't my specialty if they aren't my own cards hahaha. I had to do a lot of research into their decks so I hope you guys really like this chapter! Warning, it's garbage. Much like that drinking chapter.

Monsters will be like this: Monster Name (ATK / DEF / NUM. OF STARS ). If they're effect monsters, I'll have the characters verbalize the effect. Likewise with Traps and Magic cards (just like in the show! Yay!). I'm wondering what pair I should have win. Which team do you guys want to win? Tell me!

I also want to let everyone know that my spring semester in college starts on the 23rd so my time might be limited in which I can upload chapters. Its either I take two weeks to upload a 10k+ chapter or a week to upload something around 8k.

Thank you to all that read and reviewed! I'm happy!

Little . Miss . Fortune : Too be honest, I don't like puzzleshipping all that much either! I didn't get my 100 reviews but that's okay, I write to entertain! Which do you want to win? Hopefully, I can make the tournament as epic as the ones they have on series!

Kiyoko-kami91: Thank you! You made me blush! : ) I hope you enjoy this chapter!

SarahIsAPikachu: Those two are some of my favorite characters too! Thank you for your kind words, you're very sweet! And I was like that too, I never did much with my stories when I posted them in 2006. I had a weird burst of inspiration to write this story and I didn't know it would have so much positive feedback so I kept on writing! If you do post your stories, let me know! I'd like to read them too : ) I have a tumblr but I don't really use it hahaha, its too confusing for me!

ilovemanicures: Thank you! :) I'm glad you like how I write everyone's relationships. I try to keep it bound and realistic since its never good to rush into something one is not sure of. Bakura has a bit of a temper but at least he has Ryou to keep him straight! I'm glad you liked Yugi and Yami's scene! Their kiss will come eventually, at least I hope so. I really hope you like these next couple chapters! I'm not much for writing out duels but I hope they entertain you and are to your liking! : ) Doesn't it suck when people text in shorthand? It's the worst!

PiWrite : I hope you enjoy the duel! : )

Puffin: I'm not sure what episodes they were but in the raw, I've heard Bakura call himself Touzoku. If I can dig up some of my episodes, I'll show you. I hope you like this chapter, Puffin! : )

* * *

><p>"I hope you all are ready because the tournament starts now! Marik and Jou versus Yami and Malik! Each duelist starts off with 4000 life points and the duel doesn't end until there's only one team standing! It doesn't matter if it's two versus one, this duel doesn't end till both duelists on either team runs out of life points!" Mokuba's voice boomed throughout the Kaiba Dome. Amongst the cheering crowd, the boys met for a final pep talk. While Marik, Jou, Yami, and Malik dueled, the other four boys would watch from Kaiba's personal viewing deck adjacent to the main stage. Bakura and Ryou bid them all luck and retired to the viewing area Kaiba had set up for everyone that had to wait to duel. Kaiba and Yugi had remained in order to wish Jou and Yami luck personally. Kaiba's main dueling area boasted four dueling platforms that would rise at the start of the duel and they were color coded; one side was red and the other side was blue. The holographic projectors were at the ready and they shined a beautiful spectrum of colors.<p>

"I wish you luck." Marik said, looking downwards at Malik. With a tan hand, he placed it on top of his counterpart's head and ruffled the blonde hair affectionately. "May the best team win today."

Malik grinned and wrapped his arms around Marik's waist though he stood an arms length apart. His actions caused a severe amount of low groans from the audience but he didn't seem to notice – it seemed the male population was all disheartened at Malik's newfound romantic interest. "Good luck to you too! I know you and Jou will give us a good fight!" The Egyptian blonde turned to Jounouchi and gave him a thumbs-up. "Good luck in our duel, Jou!" He then smiled. "Knowing you though, you already have all the luck!"

The street-wise blonde grinned at Malik's words and he saluted in respect. "I expect nothing but the best from you and Yami!" As he said this, his eyes connected with that of Yami. The Pharaoh gave him a handsome smile and tipped his head in response. "If you remember our last duel, Yami, I beat you (1)!"

Yami let out a hearty chuckle. "Yes, I recall that! You won't be so fortunate this time, Jounouchi! My partner is quite knowledgeable when it comes to Duel Monsters! He's proven to be able to use different strategies in correspondence to different decks!" The Egyptian King exclaimed, gesturing towards Malik with his brow. He was referring to the fact that Malik had been able to use different themed decks when he possessed Bandit Keith, Jounouchi, and Pantomimer.

Malik blushed at the Pharaoh's kind words but then smirked, his competitive side coming out. "The Pharaoh is right; I can use any deck to its full advantage. I used Keith's Machine deck easily, structured Pantomimer's deck to strength Slifer and made a few adjustments to your deck as well, Jou."

"You did lose all those duels!" Jounouchi replied back, smirking. The trash talk that was currently happening right now was only out of good fun – what kind of competition doesn't have any trash talk anyway? "I'm dueling alongside Marik and if I remember correctly, he's only ever lost one duel in his whole record!"

"My record doesn't seem so superior when I've only dueled four times." Marik added humbly. Although he hadn't dueled much, Marik was still a force to be reckoned with. He had far more knowledge in using the Winged Dragon of Ra than the Pharaoh and Malik combined, the only problem was that his trump card resided in Yami's deck.

Kaiba, who had been quiet this whole time, crossed his arms and fixed Marik with curious eyes. "How do you plan on winning without the Winged Dragon of Ra?"

Marik's eyes glinted at Kaiba's words and he chuckled darkly. "You all will just have to see." Due to his exploration of the Vault, the Egyptian blonde had added quite a number of new cards to his deck that would greatly change his dueling style since he no longer had his beloved God card. "I may surprise you all."

Satisfied, Kaiba smirked. "We'll see." He turned to Jounouchi and let out a hum. "I'm expecting a win, Jounouchi." The brunet leaned downwards, pressing his lips tenderly to his lover's forehead. "Good luck out there." The people in the audience cooed at the CEO'S display of affection before Kaiba swiftly turned around and glared in all directions – They immediately silenced themselves. Although Kaiba and Jou's relationship had been made publically known two years ago, it was still adorable to see Kaiba so loving and tender towards Jou.

"I'll do my best!" Jou exclaimed, giving Kaiba his best grin. He watched Kaiba give him a two finger wave and he waved as the CEO walked away. Excitement began to build up in his chest and the blonde let out a shout, "Alright, let's get this show on the road!" His outburst got the attention of Marik, Malik, Yami and Yugi and they only laughed in response. "You guys got 5 minutes!" Jou reminded before running over to the blue side of the dueling arena. The remaining boys nodded, needing a bit more time before the duel started.

"I'm curious to see how you'll duel without Ra by your side." Malik commented lightly. He crossed his arms and nudged Marik's foot with his own. "Give us a good fight, won't you?" Malik said, standing on his toes and leaning up to kiss Marik's cheek.

His counterpart chuckled at that and turned his face so that Malik's lips grazed his own. Their kiss was brief but it was meaningful. "As long you and the Pharaoh do the same." And with that, the two made their way to the dueling arena. They parted ways; Malik going to the red side and Marik joining Jou over at the blue side.

Yami and Yugi stood alone at the center stage but they both knew their time together was running out. "I want to see you in the finals." Yugi grinned, taking Yami's hands in both of his and swinging their arms side to side. "You better make sure you and Malik win!"

The Pharaoh chuckled and nodded. "We shall do our best." He ran his hand through Yugi's golden bangs affectionately before bowing. "I shall see you soon, little one. Cheer for me, won't you?" At Yugi's thumbs-up, Yami made the journey to the red side. Crimson eyes watched as Yugi joined his friends over at the viewing area.

The four duelists stepped onto their platforms and they were immediately raised upwards onto the dueling area. The holographic simulators whizzed and whirled as they were set to full power; most likely to sustain the power of Yami's Egyptian God cards. The fans exploded into applause for the tournament was now about to begin. The four looked amongst themselves and it looked like war was eminent – Yami, Malik, Jou, and Marik were all known to duel to their hearts out.

"Is everyone ready? This duel starts right now! Give up for Jounouchi, Marik, Malik, and Yami!" Mokuba cried, outstretching his arms as he introduced the four duelists. This would be a duel of epic proportions as they all had different dueling styles.

Marik constructed his deck around an Immortality and Torture theme so that he could focus on slowly torturing his opponents and watching them squirm. His cards sought to slowly sap an opponent's strength by discarding their hand, lowering the attack strength of their monsters, and inflicting burn damage. He also relies heavily on his arsenal of powerful trap and magic cards. Although it was true that he no longer had the Winged Dragon of Ra in his deck, Marik would still find a way to be victorious.

Malik's deck was a mystery to them all. He had been known to utilize many different types of decks and so he had the element of surprise on his side. His most recent deck was a Burn deck but after his time in the Vault, who was to say his deck was still the same? He specialized in forming different decks and strategies due to his wide knowledge of Duel Monsters cards. Everyone would have to just wait and see for Malik's deck was still unknown.

Although his deck had undergone many changes throughout his life, Jou's deck now centered on luck, his warrior-type monsters, and then chain support for his Red Eyes Black Dragon. His magic and trap cards involve luck and while he has been criticized for such methods; Jou had proven multiple times that luck was always on his side.

The Pharaoh had built his deck to support the use of his God cards as well as his Dark Magicians. Yami's cards included powerful magic and trap cards that adhered to his spellcasters and he knew how to play his cards exceptionally well. He proved so during the Ceremonial Duel; Yami had managed to summon all three God cards in one duel to everyone's shock and surprise. The Egyptian King had been playing the game of Duel Monsters for many millennia and he was one duelist not to be taken lightly.

The KC BC Finals Rematch Tournament starts now!

Jounouchi, Malik, Yami and Marik reached out their left arms and in unison, the duel disks activated. They simultaneously plugged in their USB into the dueling platforms and they all looked up sharply. Thin, noble fingers drew each card till their owners each held five cards in their hands. Lilac, crimson, and honey brown eyes tensed for the moment they had all been waiting for.

"Duel!" The boys shouted.

"How about I start things off?" Jou grinned. He drew a card and looked at his hand: Marauding Captain (1200/1400/3S), Panther Warrior (2000/1600/4S), Pot of Greed, Red Eyes Black Chick (800/500/1S), Magical Arm Shield and lastly, Scapegoat. "I activate Pot of Greed; this card allows me to draw two more cards!" His hand hovered over his deck briefly before the blonde took the two cards. Jou's eyes scanned over the cards and hummed in thought. 'So I picked up Kunai with Chain and Seven Tools of the Bandit.' He thought to himself before a winning grin appeared on his face. "I summon Marauding Captain (1200/1400/3S) in an attack mode and activate its effect!" The warrior materialized onto the playing field and held up its two swords in an intimidating fashion. "As long as this card is in play, you can't target other face-up Warrior-Type monsters other than this one! Its second ability lets me special summon one level four or lower monster from my hand to the field!" With another grin, Jou picked up his Panther Warrior card with his thumb and forefinger and threw it down onto his duel disk. "And I choose my Panther Warrior, in attack mode!" The black cat let out a might roar as it joined its fellow warrior, its sword gleaming in the Dome's light. "I'll end my turn by placing three cards face down!" The street-smart blonde gave Yami and Malik an inviting wag of his eyebrows, "Let's see what you got!"

Malik turned to the Pharaoh and smirked charmingly. "Pharaoh, if I may –" He began but Yami cut him off with a swift nod of his head.

"Of course, do your best." He said, encouragingly.

The Egyptian blonde looked at his hand, his lilac eyes darting from left to right: Worm Drake (1400/1500/4S), Raging Flame Sprite (100/200/3S), Hinotama, Negate Attack, and Monster Reborn. "First, I draw!" His tan fingers quickly drew a card and Malik smirked, he managed to draw his Lava Golem (3000/2500/8S) on the first turn! In order for his strategy to work, he would have to wait to summon his beloved monster. "I summon my Raging Flame Sprite to the field in attack mode! Its effect allows me to attack your life points directly and each time my attack is successful, it gains 1000 more attack points!" Malik pointed with a thin finger at Jou, "Go, Raging Flame Sprite! Attack his life points directly!" The pyro-sprite chirped in reply and pointed its scepter at Jou before blasting the blonde with his fire attack.

Jounouchi merely grinned at the lackluster attack, "You're going to need to do better than that, Malik!" He taunted. Malik, Yami, and Marik's life points each totaled 4000 while Jou's dropped to 3900.

Malik smirked at the challenge. "Don't forget! My sprite's attack points go up by 1000 so now it's gotten stronger! It now stands at 1100 attack points!" The small duel monster grew larger at the added attack points till it resembled that of a toddler. "I place one card face down and end my turn." His lilac eyes turned towards Marik. "It looks like it's your turn now, Marik!"

The spirit that had once inhabited the Millennium Rod chuckled darkly at that and bowed his head slightly. He held up his five cards to his hand and read them mentally in his mind: Gil Garth (1800/1200/4S), Morphing Jar (700/600/2S), Raigeki, Remove Trap, and Joyful Doom. Marik drew a card and his eyes looked towards the playing field briefly before returning back to his hand. 'I've seen to have draw Card Destruction. It's still too early to play it; I must wait in order for my plans to work.' He decided. "I summon Gil Garth (1800/1200/4S) in attack mode! Then I shall place one card facedown and end my turn!" Marik's fiend-type monster appeared onto the field and swung its sword murderously as it let out an eerie shriek from its non-existing face. "Play your cards, Pharaoh!"

Yami grunted as he smirked. His crimson eyes looked towards his hand: Queen's Knight (1500/1600/4s), King's Knight (1600/1400/4S), Rebellion, and Big Shield Gardna (100/2600/4S). "Draw!" Yami read the card he drew quickly and let out a small hum. 'Summoning Clock, this allows me to special summon monsters from my hand equal to the number of turns that have passed.' He knew he had to use this card to be able to effectively summon one of his Egyptian God cards without the use of tributes but the riskiness was evident in how he had to wait three turns before he could play it to be able to tribute successfully. "I'll summon my Big Shield Gardna in face-up defense mode!" The warrior let out a mighty shout as it crouched down low behind its large shield.

"It's my turn now!" Jou cried, drawing another card: Red Eyes Wyvern (1800/1600/4S). 'So I've got both my chick and wyvern in my hand, now I just need the big daddy for my strategy to work!' he triumphantly thought. He held his three cards (Red Eyes Wyvern (1800/1600/4S), Seven Tool of the Bandit, Red Eyes Black Chick (800/500/2S) in his left hand tightly before clenching his right fist and punching the air in front of him at Malik. "Marauding Captain (1200/1400/3S), attack Malik's Raging Flame Sprite (1100/200/3S)!" His monster charged forward, raising both of his swords in preparation for its killing blow.

"Not so fast!" Malik exclaiming, raising his right arm, palm out. "Reveal, face-down card, Negate Attack! " The pink card stood and a vortex began forming at its center. Its winds belted out strong gales and Marik and Jou held up their arms in protection. They struggled slightly but remained standing and lowered their arms. "This card stops your attack and ends your turn!" The red and blue vortex spun faster and faster till a bright white light shined and ultimately blinded Jou's Marauding Captain (1200/1400/3S), stopping his movements.

"Great play, Malik!" Yami stated, shooting his eyes to meet Malik's. The Egyptian blonde nodded back before smirking at the blue side.

"Before my battle phase ends, I play this! Scapegoat!" The street-wise blonde shouted, revealing his face-down quick-play magic card. "This allows me to special summon four Sheep Tokens (0/0/1S) to the field in defense mode! I can't use them for tributes to summon stronger monsters but they'll do for now." The four multicolored scapegoat let out adorable cries as they came to float beside the Panther Warrior. Jou tucked his left arm closer to his body and nodded for Malik to begin his turn.

The Egyptian drew a card: Scapegoat. 'Jounouchi isn't the only one with this card' Malik thought amusingly. He looked at his hand: Worm Drake (1400/1500/4S), Hinotama, Monster Reborn, and Lava Golem (3000/2500/8S). "I summon Worm Drake (1400/1500/4S) in defense mode and place one card on the field! Then I'll attack your life points directly again, Jou!" The sprite let out a victorious cry as it raised its staff for another attack.

"Activate face-down card!" Jou said, stopping the sprite's action. The pink trap card rose upwards and Yami let out an irritated curse at the sight of it. "Yeah, Yami, you already know! I activate my Magical Arm Shield! This card allows me to take control of one of my opponent's monster for the remainder of your turn, Malik!" Marik smirked at the look of frustration on Malik and Yami's face and crossed his arms arrogantly. "I choose Yami's Big Shield Gardna!"

"No!" Yami cried but there wasn't anything he could do. His monster disappeared briefly before reappearing back on Jou's side of the field. It remained in defense position and the Pharaoh turned hard eyes to Malik, "Quickly Malik, stop your attack!" but it was too late.

The sprite fired a blast at the Big Shield Gardna and due to the warrior's powerful 2600 defense points, the Raging Flame Sprite was no match. It disintegrated into nothingness and Malik let out a growl as his life points dropped down to 2500. A smirk then appeared on Jou's face and after sharing a knowing look with his partner, Jou let out a cheer, ""And due to Big Shield Gardna's effect, since it was attacked, it now changes to attack mode!"

The long haired warrior faded out and returned to the Pharaoh's side of the field. The crowd boomed as Yami's Big Shield Gardna stood and held his shield by his side. Marik chuckled darkly, a shadow of his evil smirk flashed on his face before it disappeared. Marik drew a card: Jam Breeding Machine. 'I can use this to help Jou tribute monsters for his Panther Warrior to attack' he mused to himself. 'I'll save it for now, he still has his untouched Sheep Tokens' He pointed his left pointer finger at Yami's monster, holding his cards downwards at the same. "Gil Garth (1800/1200/4S), attack the Pharaoh's Big Shield Gardna!" The iron-clad monster swung its mighty sword, destroying the Big Shield Gardna easily. The ancient king growled lowly, his life points dropping to 2300. "And with that, I end my turn."

"Don't think you've won yet!" Yami promised. He drew a card and upon seeing it, he hummed contently, 'I've yet to drawn any of the Egyptian God cards or my magicians but no matter, this will do for now' he thought, feeling satisfied at having drawn Awakening from Beyond. He held in his hand these cards: Queen's Knight (1500/1600/4s), King's Knight (1600/1400/4S), Rebellion, Summoning Clock and Awakening from Beyond. "I activate Awakening from Beyond!" He shouted, throwing the magic card down onto his duel disk. "This allows me to bring back one monster from my Graveyard at the cost of my opponent drawing two cards!" Crimson eyes then darted between Marik and Jou. 'Who should I pick? Jou's lucky; he could draw the cards he need. Then there's Marik, he seem may seem passive but I know better than that, he's just waiting for the right moment to strike!' Making his mind up, Yami pointed at Marik. "Draw your cards!" Marik grunted and did just that with his hand now being: Morphing Jar (700/600/2S), Raigeki, Remove Trap, Card Destruction, Jam Breeding Machine, Drillago (1600/1100/4S), and lastly Dark Wall of Wind. Once Marik finished, Yami special summoned Big Shield Gardna back onto the field in face-up defense position. "I summon my Queen's Knight (1500/1600/4S) in defense mode!" The majestic Queen's Knight held up its shield and sword to protect herself as she gripped the hilt tightly in her hands. "I play one card face-down and end my turn!"

"Where's your Heart of the Cards (2) now, Pharaoh?" Marik mocked, laughing manically like he had during the times of Battle City. "It seems you do not believe in your cards as much as you say!"

"Give it rest, Marik." Jounouchi suddenly snarled, feeling the need to defend Sugoroku's teachings since he also learned how to duel by Yugi's grandfather. Marik glared back and with another snort, he crossed his arms. Jou drew a card and a wide grin spread on his face, he had managed to draw the Red Eyes Black Dragon (2400/2000/7S). 'Perfect! Now I can really start kicking some ass!' Running a hand through his bangs, Jou's brow perked upwards. "I'm coming for you, Malik! Panther Warrior (2000/1600/4S), attack his Worm Drake (1400/1500/4S)!" Since Panther Warrior needed a tribute in order to attack, only three Sheep Tokens remained.

"I activate my face-down card, Scapegoat!" Malik laughed amusingly at Jounouchi's shocked expression. "Don't think you're the only one that possesses this card!" Just like before, the four scapegoats materialized onto the field, huddling close together. "I'll have one of my Sheep Tokens (0/0/1S) take the attack so that my Worm Drake (1400/1500/1S) is spared!" The blue Scapegoat let out a feeble cry as Jou's Panther Warrior sliced in cleaning down the middle till it was no more. With a grumble, Jounouchi ended his turn. Malik drew his card and let out a diabolical laughter that would put Bakura's insane one to shame. "It's time to show you all what my deck is really about! First I'll place this card face-down and then I summon my Lava Golem to the field!"

"You can't use Scapegoats as tributes to summon monsters!" Jounouchi replied back.

Marik paled suddenly. "The Lava Golem doesn't require his monsters to be sacrificed in order to be summoned!" Realization dawned on him and he could only watch helplessly as his Gil Garth (1800/1200/4S) and Jou's Panther Warrior (2000/1600/4S) let out wails of pain before their forms shattered into hundreds of pieces.

"What? No, my Panther Warrior!"

"Arise, Lava Golem!" Malik ordered, raising his hand outwards. From the depths of the ground, the floor beneath them began to shake and tremble. The audience let out terrified screams but they were dulled out by the sounds of the floor breaking apart. The Lava Golem rose upwards into a standing position and it let out barbaric gurgles as it slammed its cage repeatedly onto the ground. Another maniacal laughter thundered from Malik's throat as he spread his hands. Normally monsters took to one side however the Lava Golem was so large and vast that it occupied both Marik and Jou's monster zones. "Lava Golem's effect activates! At the end of every one of my turns, you each take 1000 points of damage!" The monster of Lava sent a wave of intensely hot lava in Marik and Jou's direction and the audience watched anxiously.

"Watch out, Jounouchi!" Yugi cried, standing up in his seat.

The two blondes on the blue side let out yelps of pain as the lava seared their skin. Although it was honestly just a hologram, Kaiba had managed to improve his system so attacks could be physically felt. The CEO stood up, his fists clenching at the sight of his lover in obvious discomfort. 'I suddenly regret making those adjustments to the hologram program!' he thought miserably. The holograms would only simulate the pain but even then, burns hurt like a bitch. The Lava Golem's attack receded backwards and loud, audible pants of air sounded from Marik and Jou's lips. Marik was still standing but he had placed a hand on the iron bars of his dueling platform to steady himself, his chest rose and fell quickly. Jounouchi hadn't been so lucky; he shook and had to lean against the platform because if he didn't, he would've fallen to his knees.

"Shit." Jou gasped out, raggedly. His and Marik's life points dropped down and the scoreboard high above their heads flashed the duelists' life points. Jounouchi had 2900, Yami had 2300, Marik had 3000, and Malik had 2500.

"Malik plays a Burn deck, one that seeks to sap us of our life points bit by bit." Marik growled out. He stood to his feet, having had regained his strength. He tossed his cape over his shoulder and the female population swooned at how cool the Egyptian looked. He drew a card: Malevolent Catastrophe. His hand now consisted of: Morphing Jar (700/600/2S), Raigeki, Remove Trap, Card Destruction, Jam Breeding Machine, Drillago (1600/1100/4S), Dark Wall of Wind, and Malevolent Catastrophe. "I'll set two cards face down and end my turn!" Marik's eyes connected with Malik's, "I know what your strategy is now, little one." Marik smirked arrogantly. "I intend to destroy you." His lilac eyes shot to Yami's, "And I'm coming for you also, Pharaoh!"

His counterpart smirked, raising an amused brow. "I welcome the challenge, my darkness." He bowed in a mocking gesture to Marik who glowered at it menacingly. Although the two had forged a definite 'something' between them, duels ultimately brought out the best and worst between them. Marik still had his old dueling style with a bit of new flair while Malik played to win, no matter what the costs were. "It's your turn, Pharaoh."

Yami nodded in a determined fashion. "That was very well played, Malik." He complimented and Malik flashed him a quick smile. The leather-clad individual drew a card and it was the Pot of Greed. "I activate the magic of my Pot of Greed! This card allows me to draw two more cards from my deck!" Once he did so, his crimson orbs scanned his hand: King's Knight (1600/1400/4S), Rebellion, The Trickey and then – "By discarding one card from my hand to the graveyard," Yami began, his lips curling into a triumphant smirk, "I can summon the Trickey (2000/1200/5S) to the field in attack mode!" The jester-like monster held its hands by its side as it waited patiently for Yami's orders. "I'll then play this, Rebellion!" He shouted, sliding his magic card into the specified slot. "Rebellion allows me take control of one of your monsters and then I can make it attack whichever target I choose! The difference is then dealt to your life points!" He pointed the Lava Golem that occupied both Marik and Jou's monster zones, "Lava Golem, attack Jounouchi's Marauding Captain!""

"No!" Jou cried, clenching his fist. He watched as the monster of lava raised its arms and turned on its own comrade; covering Jou's Marauding Captain (1200/1400/4S) with hot lava. Jou's life points dropped to 1100 and it ignited a fire within his chest. "You'll pay for that!"

"I'm not finished yet! Reveal face-down card! " Yami's Summoning Clock rose from the ground. "This card allows me to summon monsters based on how many turns have passed! As long as I sacrifice this card, one from my deck and then one monster from the field, I can use it! And I choose The Tricky (2000/1200/5S)!" The Jester-like monster disappeared with a flash and Yami closed his eyes briefly. "I summon my King's Knight (1600/1400/4S) to the field! Since both Queen's Knight (1500/1600/4S) and King's Knight (1600/1400/4S) are on the field, this allows me to special summon Jack's Knight (1900/1000/5S) to the field!" The three knights united their swords together at Yami's words. The Pharaoh then held one single card to his chest before throwing it down onto his duel disk and the hologram projectors began to whirl loudly, sparks of electricity could be seen.

"He's about to summon -!" Yugi cried, excitement building up in his chest.

"Shit, that can't be good." Jounouchi concluded, taking a step back.

"I summon Slifer the Sky Dragon!" The crowd all let out gasps of amazement and surprise for the Egyptian God caused black clouds to appear on the ceiling. A massive, spiked red body curled itself downwards from the heavens and the mighty sky dragon threw its head back in a deafening war. Its sharp talon and teeth glinted dangerously in the Dome's light.

Marik then let out a harsh bark of laughter. "You've no cards in your hand, Pharaoh! For that, your sky dragon is pathetic and useless!" It was true, Slifer the Sky Dragon got its power from the number of cards in a duelist's hands and in order to be able to summon the monster, Yami had to use every single card in his hand.

'Marik's right!' Yami thought in a panicked voice but his face was passive. He looked at Malik from the corner of his crimson eyes and knew that it was up to Malik to keep him in this duel. 'I trust you, my friend.' Lilac eyes turned to the Pharaoh and Malik nodded in understanding.

"The future is never set in stone." Yami merely replied, lowering his arms to his side. "And with that, I end my turn."

At Marik's statement, Jounouchi regained his confidence. "Alright bitches, let's get down to it!" The crowd screamed at Jou's confidence. He drew a card and it was Red Eyes Transmigration. A cocky smile graced Jou's lips as he chuckled. He held up his Red Eyes Black Chick (800/500/AS) card to show his opponents, "By sending this card to the Graveyard, it allows me to special-summon my Red Eyes Black Dragon (2400/2000/7S) to the field!" Jou's beloved dragon roared in an intimidating fashion as it materialized onto the playing field. Its black scales shined beautifully in front of the blonde. "I'm not done yet! I summon Red Eyes Wyvern (1800/1600/4S) to the field!" The two dragons let out twin roars as they spread their wings together.

"Attack the Pharaoh's Egyptian God, Jounouchi!" Marik commanded, laughing at the thought of Slifer being wiped out after only one turn.

Jou grinned. "You don't need to tell me twice! Go Red Eyes (2400/2000/7S), Inferno Fire Blast!" He pointed to Yami's monster and the black dragon threw its head back. A ball of fire formed and with a cry, the Red Eyes Black Dragon fired its attack at Slifer the Sky Dragon. "Red Eyes Wyvern (1800/1600/4S), follow suit!"

'This is it!' Yami thought, shooting his eyes towards Malik.

"Go my Sheep Token (0/0/1S)! Protect Slifer the Sky Dragon and Yami's life points!" Malik cried. One of his Scapegoats cooed as it floated right in front of the red Egyptian god. It bravely took the attack and cried helplessly before shattering. Malik had only three Scapegoats left! "Once more, protect the Pharaoh!" Just like before, Malik's Scapegoat took the wyvern's attack, leaving him with only two Scapegoats.

Jou let out an irritated curse and ended his turn.

"Well played, Malik! Thank you!" Yami said giving the other Egyptian an approving thumbs-up.

"We're in this together, Yami! We will win and we shall do so together!"

Marik and Jou shared an intense look, it seemed as though they had somehow read each other's thoughts because they both nodded in unison, raising their arms together to point at Malik and Yami. "We will be the victors in this battle!" They said together, their voices melting into one.

"We shall see about that! It's my move!" Malik drew a card and looked at his hand: Monster Reborn, Hinotama, and Threatening Roar. "I activate the magic card known as Hinotama! This card deals 500 points of damage to your life points!" He chose his darkness to be the target and he crossed his arms, a smirk evident on his face. He watched, almost sadistically, as fireballs from the ceiling came crashing down on Marik. The pointy haired blonde growled angrily and held his right arm up to shield his face, letting out more and more sounds of discomfort as the flames licked his skin. Marik's life points now dropped to 2500. Malik's life points also equaled 2500 while Jou held onto 2900 and Yami had 2300 – it was a close match. "I place one card face down and end my turn but alas, you mustn't forget my Lava Golem's effect!" Just like before, Marik and Jou's life points further dropped by 1000 points and they both were furious. Jou had 1900 life points left and Marik had 1500.

"Draw!" Marik shouted, feeling angrily. As much as he cared about his light, he wasn't one to let their feelings for one another get in the way of his victory. He had drawn the Gift of the Mystical Elf and quickly set it onto the field. "I place two cards face down on the field! Then I summon Drillago (1600/1100/4S) to the field in attack mode!" The fiend-type monster let out some mechanical sounds, spinning its drills menacingly. "I then activate the magic of Card Destruction! This card forces every player to discard their hands and draw five new cards!"

They each did so and looked at the cards in their hands.

Marik: Monster Reborn, The Portrait's Secret (1200/1500/4S), Snoww, Unlight of Dark World (1700/0/4S), Dian Keto the Cure Master, Masked Beast Des Gardius (3300/2500/8S)

Jounouchi: Battle Warrior (700/1000/3S), Nurtrient-Z, Graceful Dice, Celebration of Creation and Skull Dice

Malik: Volcanic Queen (2500/1200/6S), Mystical Space Typhoon, Stealth Bird (700/1700/3S), Meteor of Destruction, and Waboku

Yami: Dark Magic Curtain, Dark Magician Girl, Dark Spiral Force, Graceful Charity, and Card of Sanctity. The Sky Dragon roared triumphantly as its attack and defense points sky rocketed to 5000 points each.

Marik laughed diabolically, throwing his head back as he did so. "This is it, the duel ends now!" His lilac eyes looked slightly twisted and Jounouchi couldn't help but inwardly finch at how alike Marik was at this moment to when he dueled during Battle City. "I play Monster Reborn!"

Yami's eyes grew wide as he looked at his Graveyard; he had discarded the Winged Dragon of Ra many turns ago when he summoned his Slifer the Sky Dragon. He had intended to revive the monster with his own magic card! "No!" He softly panicked.

"That's right, Pharaoh!" Marik held a card to his chest and his body began to glow a magnificent golden yellow. The eye of Wdjat shined brightly on his forehead as he closed his lilac eyes. "Great Beast of the sky, please hear my cry! Transform thyself from orb of light and bring me victory in this fight! Envelop the deserts with your glow and cast your rage upon my foe! Unlock your powers from deep within so that together we may win! Appear in this game as I call your name! Winged Dragon of Ra, come forth!"

"It's the ancient chant!" Malik cried, his eyes growing hard with disbelief.

A golden ball formed on Marik's side of the field and slowly began to unravel itself. Little by little, its body began to show and once it had uncurled itself, The Winged Dragon of Ra threw its head back and shrieked loudly. "I activate Dian Keto the Cure Master! This card gives me 1000 more attack points so now my total rises to 2500! I then reveal my face-down card, Gift of the Mystical Elf! For every monster on the field, Jounouchi and I get 300 times as many life points back!" Including all of the Sheep Tokens on both sides of the field, there were as many as twelve monsters on the field which would only prove bad news for the red side. The LCD screen flashed again as it updated: Jounouchi now had 5500 life points, Marik had 6100, Yami had 2300, and Malik had 2500. "I sacrifice 6000 of my life points to give Ra the boost it needs to defeat your sky dragon! I activate its special ability, Instant-Attack!" Marik pointed to his victim, a gleeful smirk on his face. "Go my pet, Destructive Conflageration! Destroy Slifer the Sky Dragon!"

"Reveal face-down card! Threatening Roar!" Marik growled as he turned to Malik, the latter's eyes looking fierce. "Since you weren't able to summon Ra normally, it isn't immune to the effects of magic or trap cards! My trap card is activated when my opponent declares an attack! There will no be battles this turn, Marik!"

Marik scoffed at his other self and he grunted. Since Ra had been unable to attack, the 6000 life points Marik gave up now returned so that his life points reverted back to its original 6100. "My move!" Yami shouted as he swiftly drew a card. It was Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts (1500/1400/4S). "Slifer's attack increases to 6000!" Slifer let out a mighty roar as its strength grew. "I then play Dark Magic Curtain! By giving up half of my life points, I can special summon the Dark Magician (2500/2100/7S) from my deck to the field!" Yami's ace spellcaster appeared and twirled its staff before banging the end of it against the ground. "I then sacrifice Malik's Worm Drake (1400/1100/4S) to summon Dark Magician Girl (2000/1700/6S)!" Both teacher and student nodded in determination at one another before looking forward to face Jou and Marik. "I then activate the magic card, Dark Spiral Force! As long as there is a Dark Magician on my side of the field, I can use this card to double the attack of one of my monsters! And I choose Slifer the Sky Dragon!" The Egyptian God let out a deafening roar of strength as its attack grew to 8000 attacks points.

"6000 attack points? Shit, that's not natural!" Jounouchi growled out.

"Go, Slifer! Use your Lightning Shot and destroy the rest of Jou and Marik's monsters! Finish this duel once for all!" The Sky Dragon obeyed as it opened its mouth to fire its attack on the blue side. A few seconds past and the Egyptian God's attack followed through, coating the room in smoke and blinding yellow light.

"Not so fast, Yami!" Jou's voice broke though. "I activate two cards from my hand! Nutrient-Z and Celebration of Creation! If Marik and I are being targeted with 2000 or more points of damage, Nutrient-z automatically increases our life points by 4000 before your attack hits! And with the help of my Celebration of Creation card, since the Winged Dragon of Ra had been special summoned due to Monster Reborn's effect, it is now the end phase of your turn!" Since Slifer's attack never followed through, Jou and Marik's life points increased by 4000 points each. The score now read at Jou with 9500 life points, Marik with 10100, Yami with 1150 and Malik with 2500 life points.

"Marik and Jou make quite the team, don't they?" Ryou asked, leaning his face over the railing. He was beyond impressed; he hadn't known they would work so well together. Bakura, who had his hand gripping the back of Ryou's shirt so he wouldn't fall, merely grunted in reply.

"It's a little surprising." He agreed.

Yami clenched his fists since there wasn't more he could do at the moment. With the effects of his magic card gone, Slifer's strength returned to its previous 3000 since Yami now held only three cards. "I switch my Knights to defense mode and end my turn."

Jounouchi drew a card but he didn't even bother to look at it, he knew he and Marik would win for sure now. "Go my Red Eyes dragons, attack Yami's King's and Queen's Knight!" His trusted dragons obeyed his commands and destroyed the two monsters easily. "That's it for now." He grinned.

Malik drew a card and took a deep breath. 'It's all up to me now, if I don't play my cards right this turn, it'll be all over!' He pointed to Jou's Panther Warrior. "I summon Volcanic Queen (2500/1200/6S) in attack mode! Just like my Lava Golem, I can tribute one of your monsters to summon it!" The dark dragon roared loudly and a blast of lava burst forth from its throat. "You both lose another 1000 life points at the end of each of my turns! I can further enhance it by discarding cards from my hand! For ever card I discard, I can inflict 1000 more points of damage to your life points! I'll discard two cards from my hand and inflict 2000 points of damage to your life points!" Jou's points lowered to 7500 while Marik's lowered to 8100. "I place two cards face down and end my turn! Both my Lava Golem and Volcanic Queen's effects still activate so you both lose another 2000 points!" Jou and Marik's life points dropped again; Jou had 5500 and Marik had 6100. 'I hope that was enough' he thought miserably.

Like Jou, Marik drew a card but hadn't looked at it. This was the last turn of the duel, he knew it. "I give up 6099 of my life points to increase the attack strength of the Winged Dragon of Ra!" The draconic phoenix chirped loudly, spreading its wings as its strength multiplied.

"I also give up 4499 of my life points so that Ra gets even more powerful!" Jou shouted, holding his duel disk high into the sky. Yami and Malik looked shocked and horrorstruck; they never expected Jounouchi to do the same move as Marik! The Winged Dragon of Ra now stood tall and powerful at a whopping 10598 attack points.

"Go, Winged Dragon of Ra! Wipe out the rest of their monsters and their life points!" Jounouchi and Marik cried, pointing a finger at the red side in unison.

"I activate Waboku!" Malik interrupted. "This card changes all battle damage to 0 so your attack does nothing!"

"I activate my face-down card, Seven Tools of the Bandit! By sacrificing 1000 of my life points, my trap negates yours and destroys it!" Jounouchi smirked victoriously. He had done the math in his head and only sacrificed 4499 so he could still have one life point left after giving it up Marik's Egyptian God and still be able to protect it.

"No!" Malik and Yami cried, knowing what would happen now.

"End this duel!" Marik shouted. The ruler of the heavens made its final attack and its strength was so great that it nearly caused Malik and Yami to be blown back several feet but they courageously held onto their dueling platforms for support. They had physically been able to withstand the attack from an Egyptian God card but unfortunately, their life points both dropped to 0. They panted tiredly as they shared a look.

"I'm sorry I failed you, my Pharaoh." Malik apologized, frowning tightly.

Although slightly bitter from the lost, Yami smiled an honest and genuinely proud smile. "You didn't fail me, Malik. I'm proud of the duelist you've become and you were amazing; you truly surprised me. I admit that I underestimated those two but you and I did our very best and that was all we could do. Thank you, you were a remarkable partner to have." Malik smiled at the Pharaoh's kind words and their platforms immediately began falling downwards.

"What an unlikeable turn of events! Jounouchi and Marik have won!" Mokuba screamed into the microphone and the crowd chorused their cheers and chimed their applause. "How'd you all like that, folks? I didn't think it could happen but Jou and Marik managed to win! It's just like the battle that could have happened on top of Battle City! Jounouchi played well with his supporting cards and his trap cards saved the day! And Malik was a force to be reckoned with!" While Mokuba recited the play by play to the fans, Yami, Malik, Jounouchi, and Marik stood together.

"That was an honorable duel, Marik." The Pharaoh solemnly said, extending his hand out to Marik. "I commend you and Jou for your victory. Perhaps we can duel again another time." The pointy haired Egyptian shook his head with a nod of his head.

"Thank you and I look forward to it." Marik replied back sincerely, his tone was light and kind. It was amazing; two people that were once enemies were now friends that respected each other greatly. The grasped each other's hand tightly, small little smiles appearing on their faces.

"I think I'm going to shed a tear." Jounouchi cooed. Lilac and crimson eyes turned to Jounouchi and saw that he had enveloped Malik into a brotherly hug. "That was pretty adorable, don't you think Malik?" Jou asked, tickling the other blonde's cheek with his own.

Malik chuckled cutely at being nuzzled by Jou before nodding. "It's nice to see you guys being actual friends." When the last word left Malik's lips, Marik and Yami dropped their hands and immediately looked away, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "Thanks for the duel, Marik. I hope I made you proud."

Marik completely melted inside. He took Malik into his arms and held Malik's face in both of his hands. "You dueled admirably, my light. I am very proud of you." Marik touched his lips to Malik's forehead and smoothed out Malik's unruly bangs with his fingertips before kissing his temple. Although they had battled like enemies on the playing field, now that that the duel was over, their 'something' took back its priority.

"Congratulations, you guys! You all did great!" Yugi cried as he flung himself onto the group. Instinctively, Yami's arms shot out to catch the jumping boy and the Pharaoh placed his hands on Yugi's hips comfortably.

"I'm sorry, little one, I didn't win."

Yugi grinned good-naturally. "You did great! It's been a long time since you've played, right?" he joked in an attempt to lighten his darkness' mood. It seemed to work for Yami smiled. When Yami saw that smile, his heart swelled. He didn't care that he lost the duel because he still won; after weeks of trying, Yami finally got Yugi to give him a chance to explore the things between them.

/ / I did win, Yugi. / /

Yugi smiled. / I know you did /

"Seto!" Jounouchi shouted, drawing out the last vowel obnoxiously long. "Marik and I won! Did you see that? How'd I do, huh?" He perked up, jumping excitedly into Kaiba's waiting arms. The brunet held the boy close and balanced him on his hip as if he was holding a child. "You proud of me, Seto?"

Kaiba only smirked. "I suppose, if I had been Marik's partner, we would have won a lot sooner. You're slacking a bit." Before Jounouchi could reply, Kaiba captured his lips in brief kiss. He pulled back and the slightly dazed look in Jou's eyes, "You did well, pup. Good job." The blonde smiled brightly at that.

"You guys had me on my toes the whole time!" Ryou cheered, grinning. He and Bakura were standing beside with one white angel looking angelic while the Thief King looked smug. "Bakura won't admit it but he was really impressed with your duel!"

"I don't need you to speak for me!" Bakura stated, crossing his arms. He turned his light blue eyes in the direction of the four boys that had dueled, "That was a good fight, I congratulate you all." Malik and Jou grinned back at the gray haired man while Yami and Marik nodded their thanks. Their moment would soon be cut short however, Mokuba's voice sounded throughout the speakers.

"Now we progress onto the next duel! It's my big brother, Seto Kaiba and Bakura versus Mutou Yugi and Ryou Bakura! This duel is going to be another great one, folks! I can just feel it in my veins! The King of Games versus the King of Thieves! The divine, White Dragon versus the pure-hearted angel! Get ready everyone because the second duel starts now! Give it up for these four amazing duelists!"

The crowd boomed and applauded at being able to witness another spectacular duel. Bakura stood shoulder to shoulder with Kaiba and both men crossed their arms. They shared a look before smirking arrogantly. "We got the blue side." Kaiba immediately said.

Yugi and Ryou stood together with wining smiles on their faces. "I suppose we have the red corner then." The King of Games shrugged. He and Ryou looked at one another knowingly and Ryou giggled. "This will be one hell of a duel!

"You two don't stand a chance against us!" Bakura retorted, chucking darkly.

Innocent amethyst eyes sparkled before becoming hard with fire and likewise, a pair of chocolate brown eyes did the same. "Oh, so you think you're hot shit, huh?" Yugi said with a raise of his brow. "Okay, let's do this then!"

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><p>Author's Notes: Hey guys! I'm sorry this chapter is so much shorter than the other ones I've posted. I honestly wanted to get all three duels and plus Jou's birthday party all in one chapter but I ran out of time. My second semester starts tomorrow and I just wanted to leave you guys with something to read during the week. I'm not sure what my next chapters will be like and if they'll be 10k words or more. I don't want to seem dead so I may have to post 8k worded chapters for a bit. At least till my school work dies down. I'm sorry again if you guys don't like it :( It's better than no chapter at all right?<p>

(1): Jounouchi had his Red Eyes Black Dragon in the Waking the Dragons arc so that means he had to have won it back from Yami and Yugi after Battle City.  
>(2): What do you guys thing about the Heart of the Cards? Me? I laugh every single time I hear it.<p>

I haven't re-read the chapter so there are probably a lot of mistakes. I have to get up super early tomorrow and its like 11:30 right now. I'm just going to post it, to hell with it all, I say! By the way, if you guys want to know their complete decks, I can have a list in the next chapter.

Read and review! It makes me a happy girl. Let's hit 100, shall we? I'm only 10 away! :)

Final Words: 9k  
>Final Characters: 40k<br>Final Pages: 12


	11. Revamp II

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! or its characters!

Chapter: 11 "**Revamp II**"

Author's Notes: Hey guys! So are we all in agreement that Yami was a little bitch last chapter? ilovemanicures pointed out to me how badly Malik carried him throughout that duel and I could not agree with him more! It's also quite shocking that Jounouchi and Marik got away with the win! Shall I explain my bizarre reasoning? It's Jou's Birthday! I think he deserves a win for his big 22nd birthday, don't you? :) I made the Pharaoh seem like a complete dumbass and honestly, I didn't mean to. The chapter kind of just came out that way. If it makes any sense though, I wanted to create a situation where he wouldn't be predictable – not being able to draw the cards he needed, being careless about Slifer's summoning, and overall his lost. I felt that Yami had already won something by winning Yugi's affections and was like hmmm, you only get one win! Hahaha. I'm sorry if you guys didn't like the last chapter cause Yami lost :( Yo it's been a while since I've updated huh?

She also pointed out that it's unnecessary to repeatedly state the cards they were holding. I apologize for that! I just thought it might be easier in case people (or I…) forgot. But in any case, I won't do it so much in this chapter! I had such a hard time writing this chapter, like I didn't even want to write the duel. It was so much easier last chapter but now I'm dreading it. I kind of want to just say that who wins the tournament and then skip to the after party.

Who would be angry if I skipped the final duel and just had the after party as the next chapter? Then we can start getting back into the plot.

**Begecko**: Hahaha thanks, you're a sweetie : )

**Ainotamenishi**: Thank you! I'm glad you really like this story! I hope I can keep this story interesting for you hahaha

**Insane no baka**: This story has me up late into the night hahaha. I stay up so late trying to update it leaves me crazy! Sleep is good for you : )

**Little . Miss . Fortune **: I hope you like this chapter : )

**PiWrite**: In my stories, Malik is the hikari and Marik is darkness. Hahaha its okay to get them confused, people write their names differently.

**Ilovemanicures**: I hope I didn't mess up too badly this time around! I probably did, hope you enjoy it still!

**Angeldrkfire**: Hahahahaha you caught that didn't you? Good job! : )

Thank you to **Kiyoko-kami91 and Serenity Lhane **too! If I missed anyone, I'm sorry! I don't usually come back up here to update things. Enjoy chapter eleven folks!

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><p>Just as the others had done before them, the remaining duelists met for their final pep talks with their significant others. They stood together but anyone could see that each pair was lost in their own little worlds; it was like nobody else mattered but the person in front of them. Kaiba had Jou, Ryou had Bakura, Marik had Malik, and Yami finally had Yugi.<p>

"Good luck out there, Seto." Jounouchi grinned, crossing his arms. "I'm not going to lie but I'm rooting for both teams this time." The blonde watched amusingly as Kaiba rolled his eyes in response. "Give the fans a good duel, yeah?" He stood on his toes and planted a soft kiss on Kaiba's lips.

The brunet let out an affectionate hum, his fingers interlocking with Jou's. Kaiba pulled away somewhat regrettably before smiling genuinely at his lover, "I'll make sure to. Shall I walk you to your seat first?" Kaiba extended his arm to Jou like a true gentleman and the blonde quickly latched onto him. Arm and arm, the two walked towards the spectator platform where Jounouchi plopped down onto his seat.

"Good luck, Seto!" Jounouchi shouted again, waving at his dragon who returned it with a determined nod of his head. The blonde let out an excited sigh and leaned back in his chair, "This is going to be a great duel; I just know it!" His honey eyes watched as Kaiba took his spot on the blue side.

"Come Malik, it's time we take our leave." Marik solemnly said. He took Malik's hand in his and tugged the boy forward. The darkness heard his light hum contently as the two walked to the spectator platform. "I wonder who will be victorious in this battle." Marik commented lightly.

"I'm actually curious to see how Ryou will do in this duel!" Malik cried excitedly. "He doesn't duel much so I want to see how he does!"

"What kind of deck does the boy play?"

"He's got an Occult deck; if you remember from Battle City, Ryou basically built up that deck on his own. Bakura might have modified it a little but its Ryou to the very core – he has a thing for gruesome cards." Malik explained as he and Marik took their seats. The student gave Jou a two-finger wave while Marik stared passively. Malik snuggled into Marik's warmth as the taller of the two crossed his arms smugly.

"I see, well I wish him luck against Bakura and Kaiba; they seem like a force to be reckoned with." Marik replied back.

"Oh I bet! Bakura and Kaiba are both amazing duelists on their own! How do you think he'll do, Jou?" Malik asked, turning his attention over to Jou who sat beside him.

The street-smart blonde grinned. "Who knows? Seto doesn't do well with partners unless it's me or Yami. I wonder how he'll fair with Bakura by his side. Only time will tell." He finished, he and the blondes quieted down in preparation for the duel.

Bakura raised a brow at his light, "Do you even remember how to duel?" The Thief King let out a bark of laughter at seeing Ryou's pointed look. "I don't think I've ever seen you duel before." He added.

"Well maybe because a certain deranged and murderous idiot wouldn't let me!" Ryou easily retorted, crossing his arms and turning away. His lip was curled up in a pout but he knew the other was only teasing. "Don't underestimate me, Bakura. I can and will surprise you."

Bakura bowed lowly, spreading his hands. "I welcome the challenge, my beautiful light." He smirked at Ryou's blush and Bakura placed a hand on Ryou's cheek. He turned the boy's face to look at him as he leaned his face down. "Good luck, Ryou. Make me proud." A pink tongue shot out and licked Ryou's cheek gently causing the white haired boy to let out an embarrassed squeak.

Ryou heard his darkness laugh within their mind link before he scrunched up his face and pulled away. "Don't do embarrassing things like that here," he scolded before looking around. After a few seconds, he stood on his toes and planted a kiss on Bakura's mouth. Bakura kissed eagerly but before he could really get into it, Ryou pulled away with a dazed look in his eyes. "Good luck, Bakura!" He said sweetly before running off to the red side.

Bakura clicked his tongue as a fang appeared over his lip. "Good luck indeed." He mused before taking his position beside Kaiba. The two blue eyed men locked gazes before they nodded determinedly. In unison, they gruffly crossed their arms, waiting for the last competitor to join the stage.

"I wish you luck, Yugi. I was not victorious in my duel so I ask that you win on my behalf." The Pharaoh said in a low voice while crossing his arms. He smiled once Yugi looked up at him and the taller of the two unhinged an arm to rub his thumb against Yugi's cheek affectionately. "I am sorry that I will not be able to face you in the finals."

Yugi placed his hand over Yami's and brought both their hands down. "It's not your fault! It's been a while since you've played and I'm not mad that you lost. If anything, I'm relieved that you lost." He grinned, teasingly.

Yami gave him a pointed look as he raised his brow. "What?"

The King of Games shrugged sheepishly. "If you made the finals, I didn't want you to be upset if I beat you again!" He rushed forward, throwing his arms around the Pharaoh's waist. Knowing that Yugi was only teasing, Yami accepted his embrace with the circling of his arms around Yugi's shoulders. "You'll just have to cheer me on from the sidelines." Yugi said to the Pharaoh's chest.

Yami let out a hearty chuckle. "I'll be there." He leaned down to kiss Yugi's forehead before a shout interrupted the two –

"Are you two done yet? I'd like to get this duel started already!" Kaiba's voice shouted from across the dueling stage. The two tri-color haired boys pulled apart with mixed reactions; Yugi blushed cutely while Yami glared fiercely.

"Have some patience, Kaiba! You must be eager to lose!" The Pharaoh roared back, a little annoyed at being interrupted during his time with his partner. "As I was saying, I'll cheer for you in the sidelines." He finished, turning his attention back to Yugi.

"Thanks, Yami! I'll win for you!" Yugi smiled, giving Yami another hug before taking his position on the red side. The Egyptian king let out a sigh before walking away. Yugi's amethyst eyes watched as the Pharaoh took to the spectator platform, opting to sit beside Jou. Yugi gave Mokuba a thumbs-up, signaling to him that he was ready.

"Alright everyone, its time to finally get this party started! All the duelists are ready so tell me, are all of you?" Mokuba screamed into the microphone. He paused and grinned at the roar of the crowd. "Let's get it! Seto and Bakura versus Ryou and Yugi! Show them some love!"

Amongst the cheers, the four duelists held their left arms. Simultaneously, their duel disks activated and the four boys plugged in their USB cords. The hologram machines whizzed and whirled and equal looks of determination were evident on the boys' faces. They drew their cards and scanned them quickly. High above them, the scoreboard flashed each of their pictures with the numbers 4000 below them.

Kaiba: Wish of Final Effort, Cost Down, Vorse Raider (1900/1200/4S), Kaiser Sea Horse (1700/1650/4S), Blue Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500/8S)

Bakura: Headless Knight (1450/1700/4S), Doomcaliber Knight (1900/1800/4S), Pot of Greed, Necro Soldier (0/0/4S), Spirit Message "E"

Yugi: Beta the Magnet Warrior (1700/1600/4S), Lenguard (300/100/3S), Magician's Circle, Witch of the Black Forest (1100/1200/4S), Gold Sarcophagus

Ryou: Destiny Board, Mystical Space Typhoon, Altar for Tribute, Curse of Darkness, Goblin Zombie (1100/1050/4S)

"I'll start things off if you all don't mind." Ryou chimed kindly. His thin, pale fingers swiftly drew a card from his deck. The card was Malevolent Mech – Goku En (2400/1400/6S). "First, I'll place three cards face down!" As he said this, three cards materialized onto the field. "I then summon my Goblin Zombie (1100/1050/4S) in defense mode! Whenever this monster causes damage to your life points, the top card of your deck is immediately discarded to the graveyard! If this monster is destroyed, I can add a monster with an attack of 1200 or less from my deck to the field! I end my turn!" He crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows at Kaiba, telling him to go next.

"I draw!" Cobalt blues looked at the card and Kaiba smirked at seeing it; he had drawn Tyrant Wing. This card had given him the victory during his duel with Amelda many years ago. The brunet held up a card with his pointer and middle finger before throwing it down onto the duel disk. "I summon my Vorse Raider (1900/1200/4S) in attack mode!" The fiend-type monster swung its sharp axe around in a circle, baring its white teeth. 'Those cards that Ryou threw face down could be traps so I better not risk my Vorse Raider this turn' he mentally told himself. He crossed his arms seriously, "I'll then place two cards face down and end my turn!"

"It's my turn now!" Yugi announced, drawing his card. It was the magic card, Turn Jump. "I activate the magic of Gold Sarcophagus!" A large, golden box similar to Yugi's own Millennium box appeared on the playing field. The eye of Wdjat glowed brightly at its center. "This card allows me to remove one card from play for the remainder of my turn! On my next turn however, that card is brought back and added to my hand!" From Kaiba and Bakura's side of the field, they saw the back of a card and they watched as it lowered itself into the sarcophagus, sealing itself for this turn. "I'll then place this card in face down defense mode and thereby end my turn!"

Bakura let out a bark of laughter. "Kaiba and I shall be the victors in this battle! How could we not be? I know Ryou's deck better than he does himself!" His icy blues closed as he cackled so he didn't see Ryou narrow his eyes at him angrily. "And I will not fall for little Yugi's tricks again!" The King of Games only smirked in reply. He finished his monologue by drawing his card. It was the magic card, Dark Designator. "I summon the Headless Knight (1450/1700/4S) in attack mode! Go my fiend; attack Yugi's face down card!" He pointed with his right pointer finger, watching maniacally as his monster charged forward, dragging its sword on the ground. With a mighty yell from its nonexistent head, the Headless Knight slashed at Yugi's monster.

"You've activated the effect of my Witch of the Black Forest (1100/1200/4S)!" Yugi interrupted, holding his hand outwards with his palm facing the blue side. "When it is destroyed, I can add a monster with 1500 or less defense points from my hand to my deck!" The smallest of the boys searched his deck until he found his Green Gadget (1400/600/4S) and he quickly added it to his hand.

The Thief King waved it off with a snort. "No matter, your life points are wide open for attack now!" The Headless Knight returned to Bakura's side of the field and Bakura smirked devilishly. "Before I end my turn however, I shall play this!" He slipped a card into the magic/trap slot, "I activate the magic card, Dark Designator! This card allows me to call a monster! If that monster is present in any deck, it can be added to whosever hand possesses it!" He cocked his head in Kaiba's direction. "And I choose, Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500/8S)!"

The CEO threw his head back as he laughed. "Well played, my friend!" He added his second white dragon to his hand and he smirked, he now had two Blue Eyes White Dragons in his hand! "I give you much thanks, my King." Kaiba said almost mockingly, tucking his arm to his chest as he bowed his head.

Knowing how Kaiba was referring to the fact that Bakura was indeed the Thief King, the gray haired man let a fang appear over his lip. He bowed in returned, "For you, I will." He then turned his attention to Ryou and Yugi, noticing how calm they looked. A little perturbed but not quite showing it, Bakura turned his attention back to his hand to try and play something else before he had to end his turn. "I play this, Pot of Greed! As you all know, this card lets me draw two more cards!" He drew Earl of Demise (2000/700/5S) and Earthbound Spirit (500/2000/4S).

"I activate my face down, Destiny Board!" Ryou called, pointing above him. A ghostly, Ouija board appeared above the white haired boy and a pair of ghostly hands moved its pointer to the letter "D" Ryou smirked. "I'm quite sure you are familiar with this card, Bakura." The Thief King clicked his tongue as he growled in annoyance for he too had this card in his deck. "For my next four turns, I will add one Spirit Message card from my deck to my hand. Once the Destiny Board spells out its word, you and Seto will automatically lose!" As Ryou said this, he pointed his thumb downwards to emphasize his point. "Don't you dare think I don't know how to use my own deck!" He barked uncharacteriscally.

Not knowing what else to do, Bakura ended his turn. "I will eliminate you, make no mistake about that!" He lastly threatened. He crossed his arms and glared hard at his light.

"Draw!" Ryou drew the magic card, Overpowering Eye. "I'll add the Spirit Message "E" from my deck to the field!" The Ouija pointer pointed towards the letter "E" as a frighteningly, ghostly laughter sounded throughout the stadium. The audience let out terrified gasps while Bakura, Yugi, Kaiba, and Ryou remained solemnly quiet. "I then activate the magic of Overpowering Eye! If I have a zombie monster on the field with less than 2000 attack points, this card lets me attack my opponent's life points directly!" Holding his cards in his hand and pointing them downwards, Ryou extended a finger at Bakura. "Go my Goblin Zombie (1100/1050/4S)! Switch to attack mode and attack my darkness' life points directly!" The golden zombie swiftly jumped forward, raising its left hand upwards. The sword in its hand gleamed in the spotlight and Bakura barely had any time to shield himself before Ryou's Goblin Zombie slashed downwards. The Thief King grunted painfully as he felt the sharp blade slice against his skin. Bakura's life points dropped to 2900 while the rest of duelists still had their original 4000.

"Don't be so cocky!" Bakura snarled as he clenched his fists. His eyes turned to slits at the smirk Ryou threw his way. "This arrogance will lead to your downfall!" He promised. He discarded the top card of his deck with a sneer.

Ryou raised his eyebrow quickly in a mock gesture before turning his attention back to his hand. "I play my Mystical Space Typhoon! This card lets me destroy one magic or trap card on the field!" He pointed towards Kaiba's face down card before sharply turning his pointer finger downwards to one of his own face down cards, "I choose my Curse of Darkness!" His trap card appeared before shattering into thousands of pieces.

"You fool!" Kaiba swore. "Why would you destroy your own trap card?" He demanded.

"He needs more space in his magic and trap zone for the spirit messages!" Bakura explained and his lip curled backwards in another angry snarl. It made sense, in order for the Destiny Board to fully work, four other Spirit Messages would need to take their place in Ryou's magic and trap zone. The strategy wouldn't work if Ryou's spaces weren't free.

Ryou tapped his nose cutely, "Yup, that's right!" He clasped his hands behind his back and smiled. "Your turn, Seto!"

The blue eyed man drew the card Ancient Rules and he smirked at seeing it. "I firstly summon my Kaiser Sea Horse to the field (1700/1650/4S)! This card can be sacrificed right after I summon it and it's treated as a two monster tribute!" Kaiba monsters twirled its trident in its hand before slamming it down downwards so its point caused a crack in the floor.

In the crowd, Jounouchi whistled appreciatively while beside him, Akai roared knowingly.

"Prepare yourselves for I am about to summon one of the most powerful monsters in all of duel monsters!" The CEO raised his arms outwards at an angle and where his arms had been, the outline of wings formed. The stadium was filled with the cheers of the crowd until a dragon's loud roar drowned it all out. "Come forth, Blue Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500/8S)!" Kaiba's beloved dragon threw its head back in another roar before spreading its wings in an intimidating fashion as it floated in front of Kaiba. "I'm not done yet! I play the magic of Ancient Rules! This card lets me summon a level 5 or higher monster from my hand!" He picked up a card with his thumb and forefinger and smirked at the horrified looks on Ryou and Yugi's faces. "I had a second Blue Eyes White Dragon in my hand! Join alongside your sister and arise, my dragon!" Two very imposing Blue Eyes White Dragons now floated side by side each other.

"That's impossible!" Yugi growled as he took a step back. He then remembered that he was open for a direct attack and the only words going through his mind at the moment were a series of profanities. In the spectator zone, Yami leaned forward in his seat and his eyes were hard at seeing his partner struggling. If Kaiba attacked him with both of his dragons, Yugi would be done for!

"Go my dragons! Attack Yugi's life points directly and eliminate him from this duel! Use your White Lightning attacks!" The dragons opened their deadly jaws and two powerful beams of light shot forward.

"No, Yugi!" Jounouchi and Yami screamed from their seats as they both stood. Although Jounouchi was also rooting for his lover, he didn't like to see his best friend lose.

"I activate a card from my hand, Lenguard (300/100/3S)! If my life points are targeted directly, I can send this card from my hand to the graveyard to negate one of the attacks!"

"It still doesn't matter! Your Lenguard will only cancel out one of my attacks! Do not forget that I still have one more Blue Eyes White Dragon attacking you!" Kaiba reminded and Yugi glared, knowing he would still have to get attacked. The dragon's mighty attack shot Yugi and the boy screamed painfully, holding onto the iron bars for support. Yugi's life points then dropped to 1000 while Bakura had his 2900 and Kaiba and Ryou had 4000. Known for his immense strength and determination, Yugi stood to his feet and looked fearlessly at the blue side. "End your turn!" He shouted and Kaiba did just that. Yugi drew a card swiftly and read it: Pot of Greed. "Since my turn starts, the Gold Sarcophagus shall open and return to me back my card!" As he said this, the golden box opened before disappearing and Yugi added the card to his hand; it was the Stronghold of the Moving Fortress card.

"That card won't save you." Bakura laughed.

"Oh you'll see!" Yugi challenged before throwing a card into the necessary zone. "I activate the magic card, Pot of Greed! I'll then draw my two cards!" He then closed his eyes and his brows furrowed in concentration, 'Heart of the Cards, guide me, please!' He drew the cards and they were the Swords of Revealing Light and Yellow Gadget (1200/1200/4S). Grinning from ear to ear, he looked up at everyone. "I summon Yellow Gadget (1200/1200/4S) to the field in attack mode! This card lets me chain summon monsters for now that my Yellow Gadget is on the field, I can summon Green Gadget (1400/600/4S)! I can then summon Red Gadget (1300/1500/4S)!" The three colored gadget monsters stood proudly side by side as their cogs whirled together in unison. "I'll then activate two cards! Reveal face down!" He clicked a button and a trap card raised itself upwards. "I play my Magician's Circle! This card lets me special summon one spellcaster to the field from my deck so long as its defense points are lower than 1500 and I choose my Silent Magician LV0 (1000/1000/4S)! This card grows in level in proportion to the number of the turns that have passed since it's been summoned!" The petite magician smirked as it raised its staff to the ceiling. "I then activate a trap from my hand called Stronghold of the Moving Fortress!" A large, ancient golem arose from the depths of the ground and the three gadgets jumped into its chest. They began moving together in a fluid, mechanical movement and the crowd cheered.

"Not that thing again," Bakura growled.

"Behold, my Stronghold Moving Fortress (3000/0/8S)!" Yugi shouted and beside him, Ryou cheered happily. "I'm not done yet though!" The King of Games grinned. "I play the magic card, Turn Jump! This card allows the duel to skip ahead four turns ahead and watch as my Silent Magician grows in power! Behold, my Silent Magician LV4 (1000/1000/4S)!" Yugi twirled a single card on his finger expertly before slipping into the proper zone, "And before I end my turn, I play this card! The Swords of Revealing Light! This card stops you two from attacking for the next three turns!"

"Well played, Yugi!" Ryou chimed, smiling at his friend. Yugi gave the painter a cheery thumbs-up in response. The crowd began cheering out Yugi's title and the boy couldn't help but blush adorably as he rubbed the back of his head.

Bakura clicked his tongue in annoyance. "I believe it's my turn now." He drew a card; Summoning Clock. "I play the card Summoning Clock! Just as the Pharaoh did in his duel, I shall summon monsters equal to the number of turns that have passed! I shall sacrifice my Headless Knight (1450/1700/4S) on the field in order to summon the Earl of Demise (2000/700/5S), and Earthbound Spirit (500/2000/4S) from my hand! But wait! I will then remove these three fiend-type monsters to special summon Dark Necrofear (2200/2800/8S) to the field in defense mode!" The blue, frightening fiend type monster rose from the depths and black smoke leaked out of its skin. She opened her eyes sharply and Ryou and Yugi couldn't help but flinch at the coldness in her eyes. "And with that, I end my turn."

"Spirit Message "A", take to the field!" Ryou commanded and another letter popped up on the Destiny Board. So far, the Destiny Board spelled out "DEA". Ryou drew a card; Red Medicine. "I activate my trap card, Altar for Tribute! This card allows me to destroy one monster on my side of the field so I can increase life points! I will destroy Goblin Zombie (1100/1050/4S) so that Yugi can gain 1100 life points back!" Ryou's chocolate eyes looked towards one of sparkling amethyst and Yugi flashed him a grateful smile. Yugi's life points now rose to 2100. "I'll then play my Red Medicine! This card grants 500 life points back and again, I choose to give them to Yugi!"

The scored board now read as follows: Yugi had 2600, Bakura had 2900, and Kaiba and Ryou still had 4000.

"Before I end my turn, I shall summon my Malevolent Mech – Goku En (2400/1400/6S) to the field in defense mode! If there are no other zombie-type monsters on my side of the field, I can summon this monster without any tributes!" The large, dragon of darkness roared as it thrashed its tail back in forth. It hunched down long on its feet, growling in front of Ryou. On the blue side, the Blue Eyes White Dragons roared in fury; they were dragons of opposite alignment and the sight of Ryou's monster angered them greatly. "I end my turn!"

"My draw!" Kaiba shouted, swiftly picking up a card. It was the magic card, Pot of Greed. "I play Pot of Greed!" He drew his two cards; Graverobber and Dimension Fusion. Sharing a look with Bakura, he nodded. "I activate the magic of Dimension Fusion! This card allows Bakura and I to bring back the monsters we removed from play and summon them back to the field!" Bakura smirked as his Headless Knight (1450/1700/4S), Earl of Demise (2000/700/5S), and Earthbound Spirit (500/2000/4S) took to the field. The CEO didn't have any monsters that he removed from play but he played his card so that Bakura would have a suitable defense against Yugi and Ryou's powerful monsters. "I then place two cards face down and end my turn!"

"It's my turn now!" Yugi drew a card; Ground Erosion. Shaking his head slightly, he knew that card wouldn't be any use to him right now. After this turn, his Swords of Revealing Light would be up and Kaiba and Bakura would be free to attack Ryou. Yugi pointed towards Bakura, "I'll attack your Dark Necrofear (2200/2800/8s) with my Stronghold of Fortress (3000/0/8S)!" The golem punched its fist forward and destroyed Bakura's monster with ease. "I end my turn!"

Bakura threw his head back and laughed. "Prepare yourselves, fools! I shall now activate the dark magic that is Dark Sanctuary! You remember this card, don't you?" His voice dissolved into a ghostly whisper as the stadium was flooded in red. Creepy fangs, eyes, and mouths formed and behind Bakura, stood a haunting castle. The crowd was silent with fear and anxiety at the sight of it all. "Dark Sanctuary allows me choose a monster and if you attack with that monster, it is negated and half of the monster's attack points are then dealt to your life points! It gets better," he smirked. "Life points you lost will be added to my life points!" He then drew a card; Diabound Kernal (1800/1200/5S). "I sacrifice my Headless Knight (1450/1700/4S) in order to summon my Diabound Kernal (1800/1200/5S) to the field in attack mode!" Bakura's prized monster rose up from the coils of its tails and the Snake God crossed its arm passively. "Go my pet; attach yourself to Ryou's Malevolent Mech – Goku En (2400/1400/6S)!" The white fiend slithered to Ryou's side of the field and joined itself with Ryou's monster, absorbing its power. "So long as my Diabound is bound to your monster, it loses attack points equal to its original number! You monster has 0 attack points now!" The Thief King pointed a bronze finger at Ryou's monster, "Earl of Demise (2000/700/5S), attack Ryou's Malevolent Mech – Goku En!" The fiend monster slashed its sword, destroying Ryou's dragon easily. Diabound then reappeared back onto Bakura's side of the field. "Earthbound Spirit (500/2000/4S), attack his life points directly now!" The fiend raised its arms and fires shot forward from its fingertips, burning Ryou cleanly. The boy let out yelps of discomfort as Ryou's life points dropped to 3500.

"You haven't won this yet!" Ryou promised, standing up straight. "Spirit Message "T!" The pointer now pointed to the "T" so that the Destiny Board now read "DEAT"; only one turn left on Ryou's part till the Destiny Board fully spelled out its world. Ryou drew a card and it was the Pyramid Turtle (1200/1400/4S). 'If I can just hold out for one more revolution, I can end this duel!' he thought triumphantly. "I'll summon the Pyramid Turtle (1200/1400/4S) and end –" he began but Kaiba cut him off.

"Not so fast, Ryou! I activate my face down card, Graverobber!" He revealed his trap card and smirked at the horrified look on Ryou's face. "This card lets me pick one card from your graveyard and use it right back at you! And I choose your Mystical Space Typhoon!" The Graverobber flipped a card in its hand, showing Ryou the magic card he had played so many turns ago. "I choose to destroy your Destiny Board!"

"No!" Ryou cried, watching as the vortex destroyed his Destiny Board. Once the Ouija board disintegrated, the Spirit Messages soon followed suit. 'I was so close!' he cried helplessly in his mind. He had no magic or trap cards on his side of the field, 3500 life points, and only one monster on his side of the field; things were not looking good for Ryou anymore! Having nothing else he could do, Ryou had to end his turn. He hoped Yugi would come to his aid because if he didn't, Ryou would be eliminated from the duel and Yugi would have to face Bakura and Kaiba by himself.

"I draw!" Kaiba drew the ritual card, Paladin of White Dragon (1900/1200/4S) and he rolled his eyes at the sight of it; it would do no good time without the magic card needing to summon it. Cobalt blue eyes turned towards Ryou again and he smirked victoriously, "Your time's almost up, Ryou! Blue Eyes White Dragons (3000/2500/8S), attack his Pyramid Turtle (1200/1400/4S) and then his life points!" The white dragons let out their burst streams of destruction and Ryou held his arms up to shield himself as his life points further dropped to 500. "And with that," he said, crossing his arms arrogantly, "I end my turn."

"Don't worry, Ryou! We'll get through this duel together!" Yugi encourage, turning his eyes towards Ryou. He flashed him a reassuring smile before looking downwards at his deck. He drew a card; Gamma the Magnet Warrior (1500/1800/4S). "My Silent Magician LV4 now grows to LV7 (3000/1000/8S)!" Yugi now had two monsters with attack points of 3000 just like Kaiba. "I'll attack your two monsters, Bakura! Go my monsters; attack Bakura's Diabound Kernal (1800/1200/5S) and Earthbound Spirit (500/2000/4S)!" Both Yugi's powerful monsters charged forward to attack.

"Shit." Bakura cursed as his eyes grew wide, he was about to lose this duel! He knew with his Dark Sanctuary card, he'd be able to potentially stop Yugi's attacks but that was only if he could chronologically figure out which monster Yugi would use to attack first. A downfall to his Dark Sanctuary was that he could only target monsters attacking him and not Kaiba. 'He's going to attack with Stronghold Moving Fortress first, I just know it!' His mind screamed but when he saw the Silent Magician LV7 (3000/1000/8S) raise his staff, Bakura paled. 'No! I was wrong!' Bakura's Earthbound Spirit was firstly destroyed and the Thief King's life points dropped to 400. His fists clenched again and he prepared himself for his defeat when suddenly –

"Reveal face down card, Wish of Final Effort! When a monster is destroyed by battle, I can sacrifice one of my monsters and transfer its attack points to Bakura's life points! I choose one of my Blue Eyes White Dragons!" Bakura's eyes grew even bigger as he fixed Kaiba with a shocked expression, he never would have expected Kaiba to sacrifice his prized monster in order to save him!

"Kaiba!" Bakura called, raising his eyebrows. He couldn't even begin to verbalize his thanks to the brunet.

"We're going to defeat these two together, Bakura!" Kaiba answered, watching at his beloved monster shattered into billions of pieces. The Blue Eyes White Dragon's 3000 attack points then help raise Bakura's life points to 3400.

"You still have got my attack to worry about!" Yugi reminded. His Stronghold Moving Fortress (3000/0/8S) attacked Bakura's Diabound Kernal (1800/1200/5S) and Bakura's life points dropped to 2200. So far, both Bakura and Ryou lacked any monsters to protect their life points while Yugi and Kaiba did. "This duel is coming to a close! I end my turn!"

"My draw!" Ryou announced, swiftly picking up a card. He blinked before closing his eyes solemnly. 'I didn't draw a monster to protect myself but this card…this card could be of help to Yugi' Ryou thought. His brown eyes snapped open and Ryou inserted his drawn card into the proper slot. Two pairs of wings sprouted from Ryou's shoulder blades and the crowd gasped in anticipation. One wing was a midnight and bony wing while the other was feathery white and pure; no doubt about it, Ryou had drawn his favorite card Change of Heart. "I activate the magic of my Change of Heart! This card allows me take control of one monster for the remainder of my turn! And I choose Seto's Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

"No, my Blue Eyes!" Kaiba roared, clenching his fists as he helplessly watched his beloved monster turn to look at him with eyes of fury. The dragon now thought he was the enemy as it opened its great mouth and roared. The Blue Eyes White Dragon took off into the air and flew in front of Ryou, determined to protect its new master.

'I can't attack Bakura; with his Dark Sanctuary card, he can just stop my attack and dealt it to my own life points. I have to attack Seto!' Ryou looked towards Yugi and their eyes connected; chocolate brown meeting amethyst purple. "I'm sorry Yugi." He apologized softly and Yugi smiled in kind, nodding his head in understanding. 'At least this way, Seto's life points will finally be broken…' Ryou pointed a thin finger at Kaiba, "Blue Eyes White Dragon, use your White Lightning attack on Seto! Attack his life points directly!" The powerful dragon fired its burst stream right at Kaiba and the CEO grunted painfully at being hit with his dragon's attack.

'Being attack by my own Blue Eyes, this is fucking ridiculous!' Kaiba's mind thundered angrily as he held his arms to protect himself. He stood his ground and glared at Ryou, watching as his life points dropped to 1000. The scoreboard now read: Yugi (2600), Bakura (2200), Kaiba (1000), Ryou (500).

"I end my turn." Ryou said solemnly, lowering his arms to his side. He knew this was his last turn; he would be eliminated for sure now. Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragon returned to his side and the great beast inclined its head against Kaiba in apology. The CEO nodded in reply before sharply looking Ryou.

"You dueled admirably, Ryou but I'm afraid your time is up." Kaiba drew his card and read it quickly; Luster Dragon #2 (2400/1400/6S). He then raised his arm with his palm facing outwards. "Use your White Lightning attack and wipe out the rest of Ryou's life points!" The dragon opened its jaws, preparing itself for its final attack on Ryou's life points.

"Yes, I know." Ryou smiled contently, closing his eyes as he did so. His eyes opened and he tilted his head slightly, his eyes now connecting with Bakura's. "I hope I made you proud, my darkness." His words were soft but he knew that the Thief King had heard for he smiled lovingly.

/ / _You did well, Ryou_ / / Bakura's voice was the last thing Ryou heard in his head before Kaiba's attack hit. The force of his attack caused gales of wind to swirl around him and sparks of lightning cracked beside him. His hair whipped in all directions and Ryou collapsed to his knees as his life points dropped to 0.

"Ryou has been eliminated from the duel!" Mokuba's voice suddenly boomed throughout the Kaiba Dome. "What did I tell you, folks? Ryou is an amazing duelist! Let's give it up for him!" The audience cheered and clapped for Ryou who had then stood to his feet. He rubbed the back of his head embarrassingly and leaned against the iron bars, crossing his arms in the process. "Since Ryou has been beaten, its now between Yugi, Seto and Bakura! How will the King of Games fare against two opponents?"

"You've got this, Yugi!" Ryou cheered, opting to stay on his red side to give moral support to Yugi. The King of Games flashed him a thumbs-up.

"It's my turn now!" Yugi announced, drawing his card. 'Marshmallon (300/500/3S)?' He thought to himself, frowning slightly. An idea seemed to spark in his head and he grinned a goofy grin. "My Silent Magician grows once more! Behold, Silent Magician LV8 (3500/1000/8S)!" He still had his Stronghold Moving Fortress and in order for his strategy to work, he would need to confuse Bakura again. "Before I attack, I'm going to summon this monster in face-down defense position!" Yugi thrust his fist forward and punched the air in front of him. "Attack!" He called out to no monster in particular.

'He must be attacking me with his Silent Magician LV8! There's no doubt about it, it grew its level!' Bakura thought, eyes growing wide. He prayed with all his heart that he was right. Both monsters charged towards him and to Bakura, it looked like Yugi's Silent Magician LV8 was closer. Things looked to be in his favor until the Silent Magician LV8 paused and smirked at Bakura knowingly. 'No! Fuck, I was wrong again!'

"Go Stronghold Moving Fortress (3000/1000/8s)! Wipe out the rest of Bakura's life points!" Yugi commanded and the Thief King could do nothing as his life points dropped to zero. He let out an enraged growl, clenching his fists. He had been bested again by a runt! His Dark Sanctuary faded into nothingness and the haunting images it produced disappeared. 'I'll skip attacking Seto's dragon for now' he thought.

"Looks like Bakura dropped right after Ryou did! It's Yugi versus my brother now, everyone!" Mokuba screamed into his microphone. "Do you need a recount of the life points? Seto Kaiba has 1000 life points while Mutou Yugi has 2600!"

The Thief King let out an annoyed sigh before shrugging his shoulders. He jumped up onto the dueling platform where the holograms were and walked along the edge. It didn't even faze Bakura that he was several feet in the air. People in the audience were gasping at his bravery but heights never affected Bakura. Jamming his hands in his red coat pocket, Bakura made the walk over to the red side. He reached Ryou and jumped into Ryou's dueling platform, standing beside his light. "I lost too." was all he said. Bakura felt Ryou lean against his side, "It was an enjoyable match at least."

"It was very fun." Ryou agreed and the two watched the duel together.

"It's you and me now, Yugi!" Kaiba smirked. He had been waiting for this moment every since the duel started – a chance to beat his biggest rival! Somehow, he had known that it would come down to just him and Yugi. "Draw!" Cobalt blues quickly read the card; it was the magic card Burst Stream of Destruction. His eyes grew wide at seeing it, he had managed to draw the one card that could turn the tide in this duel! The CEO threw his head back and laughed to which Yugi only smiled good-naturally. "I activate the magic card, Burst Stream of Destruction! As long as I have a Blue Eyes White Dragon on the field, this card allows me to wipe out all your face-up monsters! Yugi, say goodbye to Silent Magician LV8 (3500/1000/8S) and your Stronghold Moving Fortress (3000/1000/8S)!"

Yugi only watched amusingly as his monsters were easily destroyed by Kaiba's magic card. "It's not like your Blue Eyes can attack this turn anyway." He easily commented, referring to the fact that Burst Stream of Destruction would limit the Blue Eyes' ability to attack during its activation.

Kaiba crossed his arms. "Draw your last card. This duel ends soon."

The King of Games drew his card but hadn't bothered looking at it. He looked up at Kaiba from across the dueling field. "I believe the card I just drew is of no use to me, I end my turn."

The CEO wasted no time – he didn't even look at the card he drew. He was too preoccupied in the possibility of finally beating his rival. "Fool! Your time is up! Go my Blue Eyes White Dragon; attack Yugi's face down card!" The dragon did just that to reveal Yugi's Marshmallon (300/500/3S).

Although Kaiba's attack hit cleanly, the adorable marshmallow like monster stood its ground. Its adorable smile annoyed Kaiba to no end and Yugi let out a laugh. "You've activated my monster's special ability! When it is attacked in its face-down position, the attacker automatically loses 1000 life points! Marshmallon (300/500/3S) cannot be destroyed by battle!"

Realization dawned on Kaiba, "That means…"

"You lose!" Yugi filled in, crossing his arms behind his head as he grinned. The crowd exploded in applause at seeing Yugi win. Despite having been absent in the game of Duel Monsters, Yugi still proved he was the best of the best. The dueling platform lowered itself and the four duelists exited; Kaiba walked with his head hung low, Bakura and Ryou walked contently side by side, and Yugi practically hopped off cheerfully. They were met with their four friends.

"That duel was amazing!" Malik cried, enveloping Ryou in his arms. Bakura, who had sensed it coming, had quickly retreated away to avoid being hugged by the other Egyptian. "I didn't know you had it in you, Ryou!"

Ryou giggled cutely, hugging Malik back. "Thank you Malik! I did try my best!" He felt someone's hand on his head and he looked up into eyes of lilac.

"You surprised me, little one. You did well." Marik congratulated, nodding his head in approval. Ryou blushed cutely at Marik's kind words. "Tomb Robber, you lost." He said, crossing his arms as he looked at Bakura amusingly.

Light blue eyes glared. "Hop off it, Marik. I did better than you could have against the little runt!" Bakura saw Marik's lips curl into a smirk and the Thief King would have lunged for his throat had he not been stopped by a hand on his side. "What is it?" he barked.

Yugi didn't look fazed, "You did extremely well, Bakura! That was a really fun duel! It was way better than our last one, that's for sure!"

Bakura looked away. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Go be attended."

"What do you mean –" Yugi began but he was swept into the arms of Yami. The Pharaoh had embraced him and lifted him up into the air. Seeing the Pharaoh brought a genuine smile to Yugi's lips, "I won for us." He leaned down till his nose brushed by Yami's.

"Yes, yes you did." Yami agreed, nuzzling his nose against Yugi's affectionately.

"Holy fuck, I can't believe I lost." Kaiba swore, rubbing his head tiredly. He felt arms circle around his waist and although he was attempted to push Jou away, he didn't. "I can't believe I lost, holy fucking shit!"

"You did great, babe! Yugi was just better!" Jounouchi laughed, hugging the sneering brunet close. "Don't sulk, it's my birthday! Be happy you didn't have to face the wrath of Katsu-Jou!"

Rolling his eyes at his lover's lame excuse of a nick name, Kaiba merely grunted. "Just make sure you and Marik kick their asses." Kaiba said, allowing the blonde to kiss his cheek. "I'll be watching." The four couples stood together in their own form of harmony but it would soon be interrupted again. The next duel was approaching.

"Marik and Jou versus Yugi and Ryou is up next!"

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><p>Author's Notes: Holy balls, I'm done! This chapter was such a bitch to write. I'm not even joking, like I totally hated writing it! It's probably pretty shitty too! I just felt bad for not updating it almost a month. College life has gotten me pretty busy, I have midterms coming up already! : ( Anyway, sorry if this chapter is horribly done! I wrote it quick, easy, and fast. I'm not going to really edit it – I just want to post it and be done with it.<p>

Who's going to be mad at me if I skip the final duel and just have the next chapter be Jou's after party? Just curious, I won't do if you guys don't want me to. If you guys do, just let me know in a review. These duels are just a bitch to write is all. I hope you guys liked this chapter more than the last one. This chapter really was awful, wasn't it? On another note, I've rereading Fruits Basket again. Such a wonderful story, made me cry like a little bitch. Just like Titanic anyway – that movie always makes me cry.

This chapter's a little short isn't it? I sorry : (

Read and Review please!

Final Words: 8k  
>Final Characters: 36k<br>Final Pages: 12


	12. Reciprocate II

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! or its characters

Chapter: 12 "**Reciprocate II**"

Author's Notes: Hey guys! Thanks again to everyone that read and reviewed! I've been battling a terrible foe these last few weeks; college midterms! Actually, more like studying for my midterms. My spring break is early March so hopefully I can get this chapter out before then and then write another chapter during break. Did you guys like that last chapter? I HATED IT! I hated it like I hate tomatoes! I thought it was so badly written; I was getting really annoyed writing it! Alas, people gave me mixed thoughts on whether or not I should include a duel this chapter and here is my answer:

I don't know yet! I really really don't want to! As of right now, I'm writing just the after party but who knows, I may go back up here to write in a duel scene. I'm just tired of duels hahaha. I just want to get back into the plot; after this chapter, we're going back into the plot for sure. We still have a lot to accomplish! Now that I think about it, I'm not quite sure how many chapters this fanfiction will be. I really don't want to be one of those authors that drag it on and on for reviews but then again, I don't want to rush the story – We'll just see, shall we? This is the last filler for now, next chapter we get back to the plot.

Warning, things get a little smutty here.

**Thank you to all who reviewed! I love you all!**

**A Neverending Dream of Flight**: Hello, you're a new face! I'm really glad you're enjoying the story so far. I'm a pretty big bronzeshipper so I feel like I write their scenes better than others; I might just be bias like that. Oh, please don't apologize for long reviews! Those make me smile! I love reading what you have to say haha. I hope I don't disappoint you in the chapters to come : )

**Ainotamenishi**: Tendershipping is my favorite pairing of all time! I spend more time writing their relationship more than the rest which is a little bad since its my biasness showing but I can't help it hahaha. I was actually really surprised at how many positive responses I got from the drinking games! I'm thinking about just writing a story in which the boys just play drinking games all day hahaha. No worries, the anonymous review made me giggle but yesh, iPhones are hard to navigate…I have trouble with mine too : (

**PiWrite**: You are most certainly welcome!

**Momlilag94**: Hey! You're a new face too! : ) And I sorry for not writing the duel! I just couldn't pull it out of my head : ( I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you since it lacked the final duel!

**Serenity Lhane**: Thank you for the review haha

**ilovemanicures**: Hello friend! Ohmygod, I hated that last chapter so much. I feel like I just hate all my chapters haha. And I totally forgot about that! I so should've mentioned how Bakura and Malik had trouble working together. Don't fret, dear! I didn't think you were bitching at all! I actually really appreciate what you said, it helped make that last chapter so much better! Really, I should be thanking you : )

**Angeldrkfire: **I think you'll really like Bakura and Ryou's interactions in this chapter : )

**Puffin**: Thanks for your review! And yeah totally, it'd be strange if Yugi didn't win!

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><p>"Congratulations on winning, you two." Jounouchi grinned as he folded his hands behind his head and leaned back against the leathery chair of the limo. Beside him, Kaiba was talking gruffly to someone on the phone; no doubt they were more business-related folk that contributed to his fundraiser. Marik sat to Kaiba's right with Malik sitting comfortably in his lap and who at the moment, was talking animatedly to Bakura. The Thief King sat across from the blondes with Ryou by his side and the Pharaoh and his light by his right. "I think we all dueled great though."<p>

"It's been a while since we've all played; I'm surprised at how well we all did." Yugi agreed. Around his waist was Yami's arm and Yugi smiled at the gentle stroking motion he felt against his hip. He turned his amethyst eyes towards Yami and he saw that the Pharaoh smiled back. /Are you up for that talk when we get home?/

/ / Yes, I look forward to it / / Yami told him warmly and Yugi felt his heart jump in excitement. He was a fool to have guarded his heart, Yami had always loved him. Though this love was different, Yugi felt himself opening up even more to the Pharaoh. He knew that the King would treat his heart right in the end.

"So what kind of party is this?" Ryou asked, braiding his hair absentmindedly. He ignored the pointed look Bakura threw him and continued on plaiting his white hair. "I mean the dress code." He clarified when Jounouchi regarded him confusingly.

The street-smart blonde let out a growl as he rolled his eyes. He grabbed at his hair irritably, "Seto made it a shirt and tie event since he's such an asshole. Can you guys believe it? Me, Katsuya Jounouchi, having a shirt and tie birthday party? It's absolutely ridiculous." Honey eyes turned to glare at cobalt blue ones. "Asshole." Jou said again.

The CEO hung up his phone with a glare of his own. "We've been through this a hundred times, dumbfuck. There will be top CEOs and other businessmen so this will have to be a shirt and tie event. You need to look professional at your own ceremony."

Jounouchi crossed his arms with an adorable pout. "That's such bullshit. It's my birthday! I should be able to decide how it plays out. Can we strike a deal, Seto?" The blonde asked, his eyes suddenly twinkling. Kaiba nodded with a soft hum and Jou grinned. "Can we kick them out after the first couple of hours? We'd both win that way! We'll all wear lame professional clothes for the first two hours and then once they're gone, we can ditch the tacky clothing!"

Kaiba shrugged in differently. "If you can, go for it. If it hurts Kaiba Corporation's reputation however, you will be punished." And with that, Jou won. Chuckling diabolically, Jou turned to his friends with a victorious smirk and two thumbs-up.

"Problem," Malik interrupted. "I doubt some of us even have those kinds of clothes with us. I know I didn't pack anything like that and I'm pretty sure my darkness doesn't have anything like that."

"It's been taken care of." Kaiba answered. The matter was dropped and the conversation shifted to something else. The eight boys talked animatedly or rather four the eight boys did and the remaining just sat there, content. The limo drove and drove, making its way to Kaiba's mansion.

* * *

><p>"Kaiba left us something." Marik pointed out once he and Malik stepped foot inside their room. Malik, who had been standing behind Marik, stood on his toes to look over Marik's shoulders and just like his darkness said, there were two packages on the bed. Marik walked swiftly forward and picked up the wrapped package, noticing how light it felt in his grasp.<p>

"I wonder what it could be." Malik mused, picking up his package. His brows wrinkled at how little it weighed and he couldn't help but toss it upwards in his hands. He caught it quickly and hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe it's clothes for tonight?" The light ripped open the package somewhat barbarically causing all the contents to fall on the bed. "I was right!" Malik's package consisted of black dress pants, a long sleeved black collared shirt, and a lavender vest. "Will that really look good on me?" He asked in wonderment.

Beside him, Marik tore open his package and his eyes looked downwards at the contents in his. Kaiba had prepared for him a pair of tight black pants, a simple white-collared shirt, and a black jacket. The outfit resembled the Domino High School uniform for boys with the only difference being the black color. "What the hell is this shit?" With a smug frown, the spiky haired boy took off his long, purple cape and disposed of it on the bed. "Come Malik." He suddenly called, causing Malik to look up at him. Wordlessly, the two made their way to the bathroom.

The spirit that had once resided in the Millennium Rod placed his hands on Malik's shoulders and gently removed the dark vest. Tan fingers trailed lower to tug on the hem of Malik's blue shirt and Malik simply raised his arms. Marik lifted the piece of fabric off of Malik and threw it to the floor. Without saying a word, Marik then grabbed the edge of his sleeveless shirt and raised it over his head, discarding it once he was done.

The two Egyptian blondes faced one another and Malik found himself smiling as he looked up into Marik's lilac eyes. Marik's eyes twinkled charmingly as he placed his hands on Malik's thin hips. "We've got two hours till the party." Malik reminded his other self lightly with a teasing smile.

"Two hours?" Marik repeated before chuckling darkly. He stroked his right thumb idly against Malik's hip before a frown marred his handsome features. Feeling the fabric against his skin irritated him as it separated his skin from Malik's. With a low and almost predatory growl, he pulled down Malik's khaki pants rather harshly till they pooled at his feet.

The light wrapped his arms around Marik's neck and rushed forward, grinding against Marik lustfully. Marik reacted by groaning profusely and fisting his hair in Malik's hair, his lip curling backwards in pleasure. "Behave yourself or I'll have to respond." Marik managed to ground out, tugging on the hair slightly as he took a step forward and shoved Malik into the shower. The sweetest and most seductive smile made its way onto Malik's face and in a quick second, Marik's pants were dropped to the floor and he was in the shower in front of Malik. The door was shut quickly and Malik barely had enough time to switch on the water before Marik attacked his lips hungrily. The water was cold as it rained upon their bodies but the heat between them warmed the air. Their tongues caressed one another and Malik found himself being pushed backwards again.

Malik broke the kiss, walking backwards till his back smacked right against the shower wall. Marik placed his hands on both sides of his body, right by Malik's head. He leaned down quickly and captured those lips again, eyes rolling back at how delicious Malik tasted. They kissed for several minutes until Malik broke away, needing to refill the air in his lungs, a small but cute blush evident on his face. "We should start actually showering."

"If that is what you wish." Marik chuckled as he turned Malik around so that now his back was close to Marik's chest. Wordlessly, the taller blonde grabbed the white bathing sponge and squeezed it softly. He noticed how it oozed soap and suds and he let out a content hum. Marik leaned his face close and kissed the back of Malik's neck lovingly causing a soft sigh to escape Malik's lips. When he pulled away, the bathing sponge replaced it and Marik effortlessly guided the sponge down Malik's neck, cleaning the boy. The two remained like that; Marik kissing Malik's skin before then washing him. Those expert lips began at the neck and traveled all over: shoulders, shoulder blades, and back. The sponge glided across his skin and Malik turned to look over his shoulder.

"I hope I made you proud today."

The spiky haired Egyptian paused, holding the bath sponge loosely in his hand. His eyes looked hard at the curve of Malik's chin and he saw tension within those muscles. Having been born out of Malik's subconscious, Marik was no stranger to the feelings and fears that his light had. Back during the times of Battle City, Marik often called him weak and useless and those times of constant suppression manifested into an insecurity of Malik's.

Battle City was years ago yet Malik still held worry within his heart – Was he still weak like before? Had he grown stronger since then? Marik had also been the stronger personality of the two so did that mean he would always be weak? Did Marik still think he was weak? He did lose the duel after all…

A silence fell between the two and his heart clenched painfully. Lilac irises closed and Malik sighed, the sound lacing with melancholy and sadness. Just when he was about to hung his head low, a pair of arms wrap themselves tightly around his waist from behind. "You made me very proud." Marik finally answered, leaning his face down to kiss the top of Malik's head. Malik's blonde locks felt soft against his lips and Marik hummed contently.

"Really?" Malik asked though his voice was small.

"Yes, very proud. You practically carried the Pharaoh in our duel." Marik pointed out with a laugh. He resumed his washing of Malik, "May I ask where this is coming from?"

The psychology study raised his head and stared at the tiled wall of the shower in front of him. "Do you still think I'm weak, Marik? Even if I did carry the Pharaoh in the duel, I still lost to you in that duel." Just as the last word left his lips, Malik felt himself being spun around and by Marik's doing, he was now looking up into lilac eyes.

"Malik, you are not weak." He leaned down till their faces were on-level with each other. "You are strong and if not, stronger than me. You're a very determined person; I witnessed that during our duel this afternoon. I've never seen you so focused and intent on winning. It was absolutely mesmerizing and beautiful to watch." Marik smiled kindly, capturing Malik's lips in a brief kiss.

Malik's cheeks tinged pink but he smiled back. "Do you really think so?" he asked softly. He saw Marik nod curtly and Malik couldn't help but laugh. He rubbed the back of his wet head, closing his eyes as he lost himself in his laughter. "Hearing you say that makes me happy."

"You are happy? Then I am as well."

The two had been through so much together. They started out as enemies of hate and envy yet here they were now with their hearts connected. It was by chance that Marik appeared back into Malik's life and what they lacked and couldn't find in life, they could find in one another. They didn't need the words to know that their "something" from weeks before was most certainly a thing or form of love now. Perhaps in time, Malik could start calling Marik his boyfriend and maybe in time they could fall in love – the only difference from before was that now, they had a real chance to be happy together.

The two blondes resumed their showering and this time, they did so innocently. They traded a few teasing insults and loving words for the remainder of their shower and before they knew it, a half-hour had passed. Marik and Malik stepped out of the shower and although their fingertips were prune-like and wrinkled, they wouldn't have had it any other way – spending time together and simply being with one another prevailed through all. Hand in hand, they walked back into their bedroom and began to dress.

After slipping on a pair of boxers, Marik and Malik pulled on their pants. Malik's dress pants were loose and rather comfortable and he hummed a little as he buttoned it. He pulled up the pant's zipper and looked down at his legs. Across the room, Marik easily slipped into his tight black pants and once it was fastened, he stared blankly at his legs. It was amazing how even though they were in separate bodies, Marik and Malik were still in perfect sync with one another.

A few more minutes and the two were fully dressed. Marik had put on the white collared shirt that Kaiba had prepared for him but he lazily left all the buttons open. Over top the shirt was the black jacket that hugged his arms and torso. Malik had slipped on his long sleeved black collared shirt and before putting on the lavender vest, he tucked in his shirt. He finished the buttoning of his vest and walked over to the full length mirror in the corner of the room.

"I have to hand it to Seto, he knows style." Malik commented lightly as he looked at his reflection. He thought he looked nice enough though his only concerns were Marik's opinions. The Egyptian twisted his body around as he studied his reflection from multiple sides and angles.

Marik swiftly walked over to join his light. "Yes, he does. You look good." He crossed his arms across his chest and smirked. Those mischievous lilac eyes of his raked over Malik's body slowly, loving how his other self's clothes hugged his body deliciously. "You look very good." He clarified and Malik laughed.

The student turned to face Marik and the smile he had on his face widened as his eyes traveled down Marik's chest. His darkness's tan body was absolutely breathtaking; his abs were defined and chiseled in all the right places. "As much as I would love for you to stay like this, I don't think Seto will like it if you don't button your shirt."

Marik didn't move, the corner of his lips curving upwards even more. "Afraid I'll make him jealous?" he asked humorously to which Malik only winked.

"It's not that! He said the first two hours are totally professional and formal." Malik then began buttoning Marik's shirt. He wasn't one to break rules anymore and so Malik happily buttoned his darkness up. He started at the collarbone and made his way down. Due to their immense height difference, Malik didn't need to bend down the further he got to Marik's waist. The smaller Egyptian did however let out a small mental whine once he got a third of the way day, having to cover up Marik's abdominals and whatnot. Once the task was completed, Malik pulled with a cheeky grin. "We look great! Look at us, instant hard-on." Malik said pointing to their reflections.

Marik rolled his eyes in slight annoyance and shook his head. He turned around and walked away in direction of the door. "You may longer be weak but you are still so childish sometimes." He jammed his hands in his pocket once he passed the doorframe.

"Oh? You love it." Malik replied back humorously as he followed his at times ornery darkness. He caught up with Marik quickly and latched onto his arm with both of his. He leaned his head against the other's stronger shoulder with a silly little smile on his face. "Thank you, Marik." He suddenly said, referring to earlier about their conversation in the shower.

Marik didn't say a word; he merely placed his hand on top Malik's head and ruffled his hair affectionately. The hair felt soft and thin under his fingertips. "My heart belongs to you." He finally said once his hand fell away. At his darkness' words, Malik smiled, his cheeks warming slightly. Arm in arm, the two made their way to the main party room of Kaiba's mansion.

* * *

><p>"This is awfully generous of Seto." Ryou mumbled embarrassingly as he looked at the clothing the CEO had laid for him and Bakura. For Ryou, Kaiba had prepared black dress pants, a white collared shirt, a light blue vest, and a light blue tie to match. Bakura's prepare ensemble consisted of black dress pants and a simple short-sleeved white collared shirt. He sat on the edge of the bed and picked up an article of clothing, staring intently at it with his eyes.<p>

It must have been expensive.

Delicately, Ryou hugged the piece of clothing to his face and shut his eyes. Silently, he thanked the brunet for his kindness. Kaiba had gone out of his way to not only invite him to Jou's exclusive birthday party but had also paid for his attire. "I can't accept this." The painter said softly, opening his eyes.

Across from him and standing quite still, Bakura crossed his arms. He hadn't bothered with the clothes Kaiba left him since he pretty much was already dressed for the event. The collared shirt and tie he had borrowed from Ryou looked similar enough to the clothes Kaiba had out so he didn't care to change. The Thief King rubbed the back of his head with a sigh and crouched down on the floor in front of Ryou. With an outstretched tan hand, he laid it upon Ryou's cheek and caressed it gently. "It would make Kaiba happy if you wore it. You wouldn't want to make him sad, would you?"

Chocolate eyes rose to meet eyes of pastel blue.

"I wouldn't want to make Kaiba upset." Ryou whispered, shocked at the idea of doing so. He felt Bakura's thumb brush the area below his eye and a smile found its way onto the white haired boy's lips. In his own way, Bakura was comforting him. Ryou's eyes fluttered close in invitation and Bakura answered his unspoken question by touching his lips tenderly to Ryou's lips, closing his eyes as well. They kissed softly and briefly, Bakura ultimately pulling away first. Ryou watched as his darkness' hand fell away to hang limp at his side and Ryou smiled once again, "I don't know how you do this, but lately you seem to always know the right things to say."

Bakura flashed him a winning smirk. "Is that so?"

Ryou nodded. "Yep, you sure do."

The Tomb Robber turned around so that his back was facing Ryou. A small but noticeable blush of color flooded his face but as quickly as it appeared, it disappeared. Bakura looked up to the ceiling, his grey bangs falling into his eyes. "You are the light of my life and everything I do; I do to keep it shining." He felt thin arms wrap around his waist from behind and Bakura sighed, rubbing the back of his head again.

"Don't worry Bakura, it won't go out." Ryou promised, laying his head against the upper portion of Bakura's back, right in between his shoulder blades. Specifically, four months time had passed since the reappearance of Bakura and the others. In four months, both Bakura and Ryou had managed to forge a sense of love and compassion after years of previous abuse. In that short time, Ryou found himself to love being in Bakura's presence; whenever he was with the Thief King, he felt secure and cherished. A realization of some sort then hit Ryou. "Bakura?" Ryou called somewhat timidly, his face burning.

"Yeah?"

"This thing between us, it's been going on for about four months, right?" Seeing his darkness nod, Ryou continued. "And in these four months, even you can say we've established a relationship of sorts between us, right?" he questioned. "I like you and you like me."

"What are you getting at?" Bakura asked wearily.

Ryou's face burned even more. "Are we like together? Like, boyfriend and boyfriend?" Bakura fell silent and Ryou did too, it was almost an uncomfortable silence. Despite how boldly he asked, Ryou was overcome with shyness and embarrassment.

Bakura clicked his tongue. "Boyfriend?" he asked, scoffing. "What the hell, what for? Why the hell do we need a label for what we have?"

"I was just wondering…" Ryou mumbled into Bakura's back. He dislodged his arms form Bakura's waist and stepped back as Bakura turned around. He looked up into eyes of sky blue and he saw amusement and annoyance within those eyes. When his darkness didn't reply, Ryou looked away, "Sorry, forget I said anything." He turned around and began dressing, not having to shower since he did so earlier this morning before class.

Bakura's eyes traveled from the back of Ryou's white head, his thin yet slender torso and the curvature of ass before looking back upwards again. "You already know how I feel about you. Why must we be labeled for that?"

Ryou, having already finished dressing, straightened his tie and the cuffs of his shirt. He turned around and looked directly into Bakura's eyes. "It's just something nice to hear, knowing that I'm the only who one who makes you feel this way."

Bakura crossed the space between them quickly and hastily grabbed his light's chin. His hold was rough yet gentle at the same time but Ryou wasn't surprised, his darkness had always had an oxymoronic air to him. "You need a label for that? Ryou, you already know that you're the only one. Are you frightened that I'll drift away?" Ryou closed his eyes, his lips curving downwards into a frown. Bakura flicked his wrist up a little, causing Ryou to reopen his eyes. Their gazed locked and Bakura leaned in so close that their noses were touching. "You don't have to worry, little one. I refuse to look at anyone else but you."

Ryou blushed again. "Okay." He replied back softly. He felt a little silly for asking, Bakura was right in the way that they didn't need labels to know they belong to only each other.

Bakura's hands drifted to his pockets and he stuck his hands in them. A bang of grey hair flopped in this eyes and he blew it away quickly. "If it really means so much to you though, yes Ryou, I am your boyfriend."

Although his darkness uttered adorable words, Ryou's expression turned blank. "What? No, you're not."

The Thief King's mouth dropped open and a fang appeared over his lips. "What? What the hell was that earlier?"

Ryou bit his lower lip and scrunched his face a little, tapping his chin with the tip of his pointer finger. "What, did you think you'd automatically become my boyfriend by just saying so? That's ridiculous! You have to ask me to be your boyfriend, everyone knows that!"

Bakura rolled his eyes, clicking his tongue again. "What a stupid, pitiful, modern day tradition." He said under his breath and he didn't have to look at Ryou to know his light smiled cutely. Knowing he couldn't get out of it without upsetting Ryou, Bakura sighed. He crossed his arms again and looked at Ryou with a pointed expression, "Ryou, will you be my boyfriend?"

The smile on Ryou's face turned sweet as he stood up and made his way over to his darkness. He leaned forward and pecked Bakura's lips quickly. "Yes." He answered, standing on his toes to wrap his arms around the Thief King's neck. Bakura grunted at that and circled his arms around Ryou's waist. He felt Ryou burrow his face in his chest and Bakura couldn't help but lazily inhale the sweet scent of Ryou's shampoo. They stayed in their embrace for a few more moments before Ryou pulled away with a winning smile. He stepped away and slipped his hand in Bakura's, interlocking their fingers.

Together, they made their way downstairs.

* * *

><p>"How do I look?" Yugi asked his reflection as he took a moment to spin his body around slowly. He frowned and hummed as his amethyst eyes traced over his features. Like the others, Kaiba had prepared clothes for him and Yami to wear. Yugi's attire consisted of black dress pants, a white collared shirt, and a simple golden tie. Yami's outfit consisted of black dress pants, a black collared shirt, and a red tie. Unlike the others, Yami and Yugi wore a full suit.<p>

The Pharaoh straightened his jacket and ran a hand through his tri-colored hair. From the corner of his eyes, he watched Yugi's movements. He honestly still couldn't believe the events that transpired between them; had it only been a couple of hours since he realized his attraction for the boy? It was just this morning that Yami had come to terms with his feelings but what the tournament and Anubis' appearance, morning seemed like so long ago. He wasn't even aware of this but his feet took him to the edge of their bed and Yami sat down, his elbows resting on his thighs. "Those clothes suit you very well, Yugi."

A giggle escaped the King of Games' lips, "That was a funny pun." He turned around and walked over to Yami. Flashing his darkness a winning grin, Yugi took a seat beside him. "Do you want to talk about it now?"

Crimson eyes narrowed, "I would like to if you feel comfortable enough." Yami replied back politely, crossing one leg over the other. The Pharaoh watched as his partner grinned bashfully, ultimately rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "If you don't want to, it's fine. I don't mind waiting."

"Oh no!" Yugi quickly responded, waving his heads. He collected himself and folded his hands in his lap. He looked down shyly at his lap, smiling gently. "Sorry, it's a little weird to be having this conversation, don't you think? We've been through so much over the years and then suddenly things changed."

Yami hadn't replied, he just nodded, waiting for Yugi to continue.

"You'll have to forgive me, Yami. We've been friends ever since I solved the Millennium Puzzle and I never once treated you as badly as I did these last couple of weeks. I wasn't even being a good friend that night you tried to talk to me." He looked up at Yami with sad eyes. "I'm sorry." He whispered, shrugging his shoulders a little.

A tan hand reached out to ruffle Yugi's hair affectionately. "You don't have to apologize for that." Yami's hand drifted downwards to rest on Yugi's shoulder, "You were nervous and scared and I wasn't sensitive to that. I should be the one to apologize for not realizing your troubles. I'm sorry, Yugi."

"You shouldn't have to apologize for me!" Yugi cried, shaking his head. "I was scared. Our relationship has always been a certain way and I was scared that you'd leave me if something bad happened. Everybody around us was growing through changes of their own but they don't understand; Marik and Malik along with Bakura and Ryou, they got the chance to be accepted by one another. You've always loved me and I've loved you but those feelings are strictly platonic."

"And then suddenly those platonic feelings changed, didn't they, Yugi?" Yami asked, gripping Yugi's shoulder. "I know mine did." He then placed his hand over Yugi's, caressing it gently with his fingers. The skin to skin contact brought an immense measure of comfort and warmth between them. "I don't know when these feelings began but I do know that I want to make you happy."

"You've always made me happy." Yugi stated breathlessly, his eyes tensing. "How…How did know-" he began but the Pharaoh cut him off.

"How did I realize I had feeling for you?" Yami chuckled and looked to the ceiling. His eyes traced the along the white ceiling and he smiled. "Those kisses we shared always had an effect on me. While I admit that before they were just out of necessity, something happened and I found myself wanting more of your touch." As he said this, Yami's hand trailed upwards and he touched his fingertips to the corner of Yugi's lips. "I started noticing how soft your lips were and how beautifully your eyes sparkled when you were happy." Mesmerized, Yugi now covered Yami's hand with his.

Yami's expression that turned grim. "That day you were attacked opened my eyes to how much I need you in my life. The thought of living one day without you shattered me completely. Because of Anubis, I almost lost you. It was at that moment that I realized I wanted to protect you more than anything else in the world so that you may never feel pain again.

"Yami…" Yugi trailed off, his eyes watering slightly. His darkness had always been a guarded person when it came to his emotions. At first he was anyway but within the years he had learned to open up to Yugi. At this moment in their lives, Yami felt as real as he possibly could. "I never really thanked you for saving me."

Crimson eyes darkened at that, "I wasn't the one who saved you. That was Jounouchi and Kaiba's doing. I haven't forgiven myself for that day, I couldn't do anything. When you were lying there, all I could do was watch Kaiba bring you back."

"Even so," Yugi cut in carefully, "You cried for me." He climbed into Yami's lap and sat perfectly straight so that now he could look down at his darkness. He placed his hand on the Pharaoh's strong shoulder, peering into Yami's crimson orbs. "Thank you, Yami." The King of Games whispered, surging forward and wrapping his arms around Yami's neck.

Yami responded by wrapping his arms around Yugi's waist, pulling the boy closer to him. "I won't let anything get in between you and I. You said you were nervous that something would happen and I'd leave but Yugi, I wouldn't ever do that. My place is by your side; I've been there for years, I wouldn't dare leave it. My heart further expelled its truth when I realized that I wanted to be the reason for your smiles, because you had me." At Yami's confession, Yugi's tears fell freely.

The smaller boy pulled away but he was still within arms length. Crimson and amethyst eyes locked and a electricity surged within them. "From this moment on, we'll stand by each other's side. Please, take care of my heart."

The Egyptian king nodded gravely, leaning upwards to kiss the corner of Yugi's lips. "I shall do so but only if you take care of mine." Yugi leaned down till his lips were mere inches away from Yami.

"I promise." They both said in unison, their eyes fluttering close. The space between them lessened rapidly and the kiss that was so long in coming finally came. This kiss was different however; it wasn't a kiss out of necessity, it was a kiss of love and understanding. They kissed innocently at first but within the first couple seconds, it began to turn fierce. Yami's hands shifted downwards to rest of Yugi's behind and Yugi responded by grinding his hips downwards, eliciting a lustful growl from the Pharaoh. Just as things flourished, it was immediately interrupted.

"Hurry the fuck up! The party starts now!" Jounouchi shouted from outside before loud footsteps were heard, signaling his departure. It was obvious he was getting very impatient. The two boys pulled away and looked at the door, blinking in confusion. A few seconds passed and Yami and Yugi laughed at their friend. Not wanting to keep their friends waiting, they stood to their feet. Their hands joined together as they walked outside and down the stairs.

* * *

><p>Kaiba's main hall had been transformed to suit that of an extravagant party. Hundreds of people dressed in their best formal clothes and the sound of classical music sounded through the air. Kaiba was in the center room surrounded by a bunch of business executives, a wine of glass held loosely in his hand. They talked to him about trivial things but he knew he had to talk to them. Off in the corner of the room, Jounouchi was effectively hiding from his lover and the other business people, peering behind an annoyed looking Marik. He and the rest of the boys were standing together.<p>

"You don't think they see me, do you?" Jou asked, gripping Marik's shoulder and looking over it nervously. The Egyptian closed his eyes and clenched a fist, a noticeable vein appearing at his right temple. "I don't want them to see me!"

"Get off me." Marik growled out, raising a fist to strike Jou in the face. He swung his back and turned his body around. His punch would have successfully connected with Jou's face if Malik had not grabbed his wrist. At his light's warning look, Marik scoffed and shook Jounouchi off him.

The birthday boy let out an annoyed grunt. "This is so stupid! It's my party, why can't I celebrate it the way I want to?" He looked around wildly for any way to kick people out and his eyes settled on the microphone by the speaker system.

Yugi took a step forward, holding up a hand. "Jou, I don't think that's such a great idea. Seto will get mad!" The blonde ignored his best friend and walked in direction of the microphone. The King of Games hastily turned to his friends, "We've got to stop him!" Nobody budged or made a single moment. "Oh, come on! Do you really want to see Seto get mad?"

Bakura smirked and crossed his arms. "It's not like we haven't see the President mad before." He then felt eyes on him and when he turned, he saw Ryou looking at him pointedly. They stared at each other for a few seconds before the Thief King growled and threw his hands up in the air. "Fine! Shit, if I had known you'd be so nagging I would've never asked you to be mine." He grumbled angrily, following Jou.

"What did he mean by that?" Malik asked, poking Ryou on the forehead.

"I got him to ask me out!" Ryou giggled. Yugi and Malik cooed adorably at their friend with Malik reaching out to ruffle Ryou's hair. Yami merely shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose at the thought of Bakura being tied down so easily. Apart from them, Jounouchi was getting very close to the microphone stand with Bakura hot on his trail.

"As you all know, we are here to celebrate Jounouchi's 22nd birthday." Kaiba's voice suddenly boomed through the hall. The boys halted in their movement and looked in the CEO's direction. The brunet was still in the middle of the room but he held a microphone in his hand. "I thank you for all coming and on behalf of Kaiba Corporation; it was a pleasure to have you at this party." Kaiba then cleared his throat as his cobalt blues turned sharp. He grabbed the top of his tie, right at the knot, and pulled it causing it to loosen. "Now that that's over, kindly get the fuck out of my house and off my property. Jounouchi is getting restless and since it is his party, I can't have him upset, can I?" There was a series of commotion as the business executives were forcibly ushered out by Kaiba's security. It didn't matter that people had gone out of their way for this party, if Kaiba wanted them out, he'd get them out.

"He hasn't changed, has he?" Yami asked wearily. He and the others watched amusingly as the room was quickly emptied. Kaiba snapped his fingers before walking to join his friends. On cue, his staff hurried to change the decorations and overall mood of the party.

Jounouchi, having saw Kaiba's actions, rushed forward and threw his arms around the CEO's neck. "I love you, I love you so much!" He cried, kissing every part of Kaiba's face. The brunet responded by shoving his lover off but Jou wasn't upset, he merely grinned. "Thanks babe."

Kaiba flashed Jou a quick smirk before turning to their friends. "The real party starts now. You guys can go change into something more comfortable if you'd like." Once the words left his lips, some of the boys were quick to take him up on his offer. Marik threw off the jacket and quickly unbuttoned the first three buttons of his collared shirt so that his pectorals could be seen. Yami had taken off his jacket and although he respectfully draped it over a chair, he savagely tore off the sleeves of his collared shirt. The arm holes were now ripped and the Pharaoh hummed contently at the comfortable feeling of exposing his arms. Ryou hadn't removed anything; he still was blessed with the fact that Kaiba had given him clothes so he respectfully wore them. Malik had discarded the suit jacket and collared shirt. He did however keep the lavender vest and seeing him in it sent a vague reminder to everyone about his attire during Battle City. Yugi removed the suit jacket but kept on his tie and collared shirt. Bakura opted to tear off the tie and he chose to leave all the buttons of his shirt open so that his torso was visible. Jounouchi discarded his suit so that all he had on was his black collared shirt and red tie.

Half an hour passed and the real party scene began. Kaiba had all the lights turned off so that the only lights that were visible were the LED and other light shows. Jounouchi and the gang's closes friends began appearing at the party one by one. Several expected people made it like Shizuka, Honda, Anzu, and Otogi. Others like Dinosaur Ryuzaki, Haaga, Mai Kujaku, Ryota Kajiki also began pouring in within the minutes. The hall was filled with a variety of people that Jounouchi and the others had dueled in the past and were now comrades, of them being Varon, Rafael, and Amelda.

"Hey guys! Thanks for coming to my party!" Jounouchi shouted into the microphone. He stood on the stage where the speaker system was and he waved at the crowd of people in front him. "The real shit begins now!" As he finished talking, right at that exact moment, a loud bass drop boomed throughout the hall. Cheers could be heard as the volume was turned up louder than necessary and the light show lit up the room in various colors: red, green, blue, and even yellow. Jou's music was very upbeat and he was a fan of genres like dubstep, rap, and hip-hop and so his birthday playlist reflected off that.

Hours passed and Jounouchi was in the center of the dance floor with Kaiba who now donned his usual white trench coat. He intimately danced with the CEO as a heavy dubstep drop sounded. Kaiba had his hands on Jou's hips and the blonde was seductively grinding against his lover.

"Ah, yes. The evolution of dance has caused modern dance to only consist of grinding." Malik commented lightly as he prodded Marik's arm and pointed at the two. He and the rest of the boys were lounging out in the couches. "It's practically legal sex for exhibitionists." He joked, sipping his drink. He turned a cheeky grin to Marik, "Do you want to dance?"

The darkness grunted. "Hardly, this environment is very unsettling to me. I am also sure a majority of the people here would not take well to being close to me." He only said this because of the fearful looks Mai and some of the other duelists sent his way. "I'll pass." He said finally, ignoring the Malik's pout.

"What about you, Bakura?" Ryou asked, tugging on the Thief King's shirt. "Would you like to dance with me?"

"Me? Dance? You must be joking." Bakura scoffed, crossing his arms. Like his best friend before him, Ryou pouted cutely. "Don't make that face," The Tomb Robber said once he saw it, "I'm not going out there."

"Hmph! Suit yourself, ass." Ryou bit back. He turned to Malik and extended a hand. "We'll dance, won't we Malik?" The Egyptian blonde nodded enthusiastically and flashed his best friend a winning smile. After throwing their darkness dirty looks, the two went off to dance beside Kaiba and Jou.

The Pharaoh turned to his partner who was contently sitting beside him. He frowned slightly, "I apologize for not asking you, Yugi but do you wish to dance?" Although this style of dance was foreign to him, he wouldn't pass an opportunity to spend time with his light.

The King of Games shook his head with a grin. "This isn't my kind of dance but if you want to, we can." The two tri-color haired boys smiled at one another and they were so wrapped in one another that they hadn't noticed the gagging looks Bakura threw at Marik. In time, Yugi noticed the insults and he peered out from Yami's side. "You guys should see what your significant others are up to." He said cheekily, pointing to Malik and Ryou.

Lilac and sky blue eyes followed the direction of Yugi's finger and their mouths dropped open. Like Kaiba and Jou, Malik and Ryou were now dancing very intimately with each other. Ryou had his arms wrapped around Malik's neck while the Egyptian had his hands holding securely on Ryou's ass. They grinded against one another to the beat of the song and it was obvious to everyone how delicious they looked doing so. Sometime during the next few minutes, the song's beat changed a bit and Ryou's back was now to Malik's chest. They moved their hips in unison, Ryou's arms extending upwards and bending so that he could hold onto the tips of Malik's hair.

"That's it, he's dead!" Bakura growled out, stomping forward with Marik hastily following. The two Egyptians savagely threw dancing couples and individuals to the side on their way to their dancing lovers. Yugi couldn't help but laugh at their antics and Yami smirked at their jealousy. The four boys exchanged a few words and with winning smirks, Ryou and Malik happily obliged and danced with their respective darkness.

"I'm sure they were planning that." Yugi whispered to his darkness who nodded in agreement. A few more hours passed and the song suddenly slowed. Some lonely individuals left the dance floor as couples replaced their spots. Yugi turned to his darkness who, to his surprise, was on his feet and holding his hand out. "Yami?"

"Will you dance with me?" The Pharaoh asked, his eyes twinkling. Yugi smiled and nodded, laying his hand in his. Hand in hand, the two walked to the dance floor. Due to their height difference, Yugi was forced to lay his hands on Yami's chest but neither really minded. Yami's arms found their way around Yugi's waist and then the two began to sway in unison. Around them, Bakura and Ryou, Malik and Marik, and Jou and Kaiba all mirrored them (albeit with some variations to their poses).

They danced and danced, both staring intently into each other's eyes. This feeling of intimacy was different; it was intense and comforting. Crimson eyes meeting those of amethyst purple lit a fire between them that caused their blood to surge electricity. The four couples danced for at this moment, all that mattered was whom they shared their happiness with. Anubis seemed like something out of a dream and for tonight only, they could escape. Things would not always be easy however, they each knew that soon they would have to continue their work in stopping the prophecy.

If only for tonight, let them dance and sway in everlasting happiness.

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><p>Author's Notes: This chapter is finally written. I hate this one too! It was irritating to write. I did like how the Tendershipping bit came out though. This chapter is pretty short, I apologize : ( Did you guys miss me? I missed you guys! Thanks for reading! I really didn't feel like editing this so its pretty much raw, hopefully that doesn't bite me in the butt. Please don't forget to <strong>review<strong>! Nothing makes me happier than reading your guys' responses! On another note, I'm starting two new kingdom hearts stories; both Akuroku. I got these two super cute necklaces the other day which pretty much rekindle my love of the series. I got Sora's crown necklace and Roxas' cross.

Final Words: 8.6K  
>Final Characters: 45K<br>Final Pages: 14


	13. Romance I

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-gi-oh! or its characters

Chapter: 13 "**Romance I**"

Author's notes: It's been a while, hello! I'm really and sincerely sorry with how slow this update was. I had a really hard time writing this chapter and have just been really distracted. I had/have a huge Kingdom Hearts phase as well as a Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood one. I was reading over some reviews from the last chapter as well as a few of the doujinshis I have saved and I honestly was like, girl you need to update. I would just like to say that I had a very hard time with this chapter – I just couldn't seem to get the right words at first.

And after six months of waiting, here you go! This is pretty raw…I'M SO SORRY! :(

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><p>A couple weeks had passed since Jounouchi's party and honestly, things were slow. With Ryou, Malik, Jou, and Yugi back in school, there wasn't much time for anyone to really make any progress on the prophecy. Bakura, Marik, and Yami often accompanied their lights to their respected universities within the safety of their Millennium Items so they could keep watch while Kaiba was often busy running his company. With everyone so divided, it was nearly impossible for anyone to do anything – Marik and Bakura couldn't venture into the Shadow Realm, Yami couldn't study any hieroglyphics, Kaiba had Kaiba Corp. to manage, and Ryou, Malik, Jou, and Yugi all had school.<p>

It was currently a Friday morning and the only ones up at the moment were Malik, Ryou, Jou, and Yugi. All the boys had class today so it was normal for them to be up at this time. Bakura, Marik, Kaiba, and Yami were all most likely still getting ready for the day as they tended to rise with their lovers. Both blonds were making breakfast while Yugi was busy setting up the table. Ryou on the other hand was making a playful sketch of everyone. Despite the setback in their progress, the boys looked genuinely happy.

"This is going to be a great day." Yugi chimed in as he neatly set the plates of China down. "I wonder what I should do for Yami." He pondered out loud, pausing to scratch his chin. Having only just found out about the pharaoh's feelings for him, he was still relatively new at this whole 'couple' thing but he did know that he was willing to try anything. Beside him, Ryou was holding in a giggle.

"How do you even know if Yami knows what today is?" The white haired boy asked, raising a brow. The King of Games looked a bit taken back – he honestly hadn't even thought of that. "I'm sure that neither Bakura nor Marik know what today is either." Cupping his face in his hands, Ryou turned his attention over to Jou. "Do you and Seto do anything special?" The blond in question poked his head out from around the refrigerator and grinned.

"Of course we do! What couple doesn't?" Jou looked back towards the appliance before he saw a flash of brown and hastily grabbed at something in the fridge. Pivoting on his feet, he turned around and thrust something forward. "Happy Valentine's Day, Seto!" He cried out, smiling fondly at his sometimes ornery boyfriend. Despite his lover's enthusiasm, Kaiba remained silent. "I got you some Valentine's Day chocolates!" Jou tried once again with Yugi, Malik, and Ryou pausing and waiting for the CEO's reaction.

Kaiba took one look at the chocolate before grabbing it and throwing it behind his shoulder, right into the garbage can. "I hate chocolate." Ignoring his lover's distressed curse, he made the trek to the counter and poured himself a cup of coffee. Tucking the folded newspaper under his arm, Kaiba closed his eyes and picked his mug of coffee up once it was full. The brunet took a seat beside Ryou, laid his newspaper out and began to read silently.

Yugi and Malik, who were both trying to hold in their laughter, covered their mouths and turned to look at Jou. The street-smart blond was throwing curses left and right as he began to dig for his discarded piece of chocolate. "I thought you said you and Kaiba did 'couple' things on Valentine's Day?" Malik asked in a teasing tone. His response was the raising of Jou's middle finger.

"…Happy Valentine's Day to you too, asshole." Jou grumbled underneath his breath as he turned his attention back towards his friends with the discarded chocolate in his hand. Again, the CEO hadn't replied, he just kept on reading the newspaper. Worried looks were shared between Ryou, Malik, and Yugi when Jounouchi let out a huff and stormed out of the kitchen in direction of his personal office. "Stupid asshole! Asswipe! I hate him…!" Jou's voice trailed off as he got further and further away.

"That wasn't very -" Yugi began to say when Kaiba held up a hand to silence him. One by one, the brunet began to drop his fingers in correspondence to the passing seconds and once he lowered his hand, everyone heard a loud gasp.

"Seto!" Jou cried out. He then proceeded to run into the kitchen, clutching a pair of boxes. Both were neatly wrapped and were sporting simple ribbons that Kaiba probably did himself. The brunet placed his mug of coffee down on the table and looked towards his blond boyfriend. Once their eyes locked, Jou quickly set the presents on the counter, ran forward and threw himself into Kaiba's waiting arms. Settling down comfortably in Kaiba's lap, Jou wrapped his arms around the brunet's strong neck and nuzzled his cheek with his own. "Thank you, Seto!"

Kaiba sighed softly but returned Jounouchi's embrace. "While I consider this holiday to be extremely pointless and not worth my time, I'm not so cold-hearted that I would ignore you on this day." The brunet then leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss on the area behind Jou's ear. "Happy Valentine's Day, Katsuya." Jounouchi practically melted in his lover's embrace and let out a happy hum as he hugged Kaiba even tighter.

"What are you waiting for, Jou? Open them!" Ryou stated, putting down his pencil.

The blond flashed him a grin and scrambled out of Kaiba's arms. He walked over to the counter and tore open the presents savagely. "Aw, thanks babe!" Jou exclaimed upon opening the smaller box. Kaiba had bought him a new shiny watch, one that he himself had been admiring for the past couple of weeks. Giving his lover another grin, Jou opened the next box and let out an excited cry; it was a pair of engraved dog tags. He read over the words silently before turning back to Kaiba and pouncing on him. As if expecting that he'd do so, Kaiba hummed contently and kissed his lover back once Jou initiated it.

Yugi, who was watching their exchange with amused eyes, grinned. "Well isn't that sweet?" He commented lightly, catching Malik and Ryou's agreeing nods. "If only our darknesses were like that." He let out a dramatic sigh as he cupped his face in his hands. Although Yami and Yugi had grown closer since their confession, they were still not ultimately a couple. Like Malik and Marik, they were simply just in the transitional phase of initially confessing their feelings for one another.

"Yeah, it's a shame they don't know what today is." Malik chimed in with a sigh of his own as he boosted himself up on the island counter and sat down. He crossed one leg over the other and leaned back on his hands. "We could always teach them though."

"Where's the fun in that?" Ryou immediately answered. "That takes out the surprise factor that makes Valentine's Day so special! If anything, we should act all distant till they get the picture and surprise us with gifts." Malik shot his best friend a look; it seemed that Bakura's sly and cunning nature was beginning to rub off onto Ryou. Putting his hands on his hips, Ryou frowned. "I don't know about you two but this is the first special Valentine's I've had in a long time. I don't want Bakura to shower me with gifts just because someone says he needs to – I want him to do it simply because he wants to." The tri-colored haired boy crossed his arms at that; Ryou made a lot of sense.

"You know what? I agree with Ryou. Telling our respective darknesses what this holiday is about would only yield pre-determined results. Let's let them figure things out on our own." He then grinned. "In the mean time, we should try and go find some things to give them." Knowing that he needed to sneak away from Yami to accomplish this, Yugi was quick to start eating breakfast. Beside him, Malik and Ryou were doing the same. Kaiba and Jou were still engaged in their lip-lock from earlier so they hadn't started eating yet. "Since our classes end at about the same time, why don't we go out into the city and try to find something for Yami, Bakura and Marik?" Yugi suggested.

While Malik was definitely on board for the idea, Ryou shook his head. "My class is cancelled for the day; apparently my professor isn't feeling well." He thought back to his most recent class in which Bakura had also attended and couldn't help but roll his eyes a little. Just like before, his darkness had lost his patience and threatened to throw everyone into the Shadow Realm until Ryou was forced to intervene and had excused them out. With class being cancelled today, Ryou's professor must have still been feeling the after-effects from being in contact with the Shadows. 'Shadows?' Ryou thought, suddenly being reminded of something. The white haired boy sighed, it coming out as almost a whine. "Bakura said he'd be with Marik in the Shadow Realm today. That means I don't have anyone to hang out with today." He took a sip from his orange juice and looked at the CEO from the corner of his eyes. "Unless I can tag along with Seto to work?"

"That's fine with me." Kaiba replied once he pulled away from Jou. The blond hopped off his lover's lap and proceeded to inspect his new watch, cooing at it softly. "I however cannot take you to the city to buy something for Bakura. I have a lot of paperwork to do today."

"That's alright Seto. I think I'd rather just paint something for him." Ryou answered back with a smile. He got off his bar stool and clasped his hands behind his back. "I'm going to go tell Bakura the plan for today." And with that, the white haired boy left the kitchen, making his way towards the eastern wing where he and the others stayed. Malik watched him go with curious eyes and he couldn't help but smile a little sadly.

"He wishes Bakura would do something special for him." Knowing that anything Marik did for him was considered special; Malik would be lying if he had said he didn't wish the same of his darkness. 'What am I doing worrying about something like this? There are more important things going on right now.' He thought, suddenly feeling selfish. With an afterthought, he nodded to himself. Just like Ryou had done only moments ago, Malik hopped to his feet. "I'm going to go say my goodbyes to Marik. Don't leave without me okay?" His question was aimed towards Yugi and Jou and the two best friends signaled to the Egyptian that they wouldn't.

"Yami will be shadowing me today too so I don't think I could slip away even if I wanted to." Jou leaned forward and poked Yugi on the forehead to get his attention. "What?" He asked after blinking confusingly.

"Not unless we leave before he gets to the kitchen." Jou replied back with a toothy grin. He pointed towards the hallway where Malik had just exited to and sure enough, the Egyptian was on his way back from saying his goodbyes to Marik. "Let's go!" Grabbing onto the two younger boys, he pressed a chaste kiss to Kaiba's cheek and sprinted outside but not before grabbing his set of car keys. Kaiba watched them go amusingly before resuming his reading of the daily paper.

'Why do I feel like today is going to be an interesting day?' he asked himself mentally, not exactly knowing how the day would turn out. 'Nothing better happen to my car.' If Jounouchi was taking the car today and not the limo, it would only mean that the blond had full intentions of skipping class. 'I swear, if he so much as scratches the exterior of my car, I'm going to make sure he can't sit properly for the next several days.' Only moments later did Yami and Marik make their presence known in the kitchen and the brunet set his newspaper down, waiting for Yami's prying questions.

"Where has Yugi gone?" The Pharaoh asked, looking around. Marik remained silent as he leaned against the island counter where Malik had previously been. Kaiba took a sip of his coffee before replying.

"He and the others were late so they left without you." He lied easily, finishing the last of his coffee and disposing of it in the sink. He folded his newspaper and tucked it underneath his arm and pushed in his chair before leaving the kitchen silently. Marik and Yami watched him go with just as much volume before sharing a confused look with one another.

"I wonder what that was about." Yami stated as he paused to rub his chin thoughtfully. Marik hummed in response as he ran a hand through his blond spikes. "I suppose I should go after Yugi and the others." He cleared his throat and made a move to leave but was stopped.

"Pharaoh." Marik called. "They will be fine. I sense that Anubis is still weakened by his confrontation with us several weeks ago. I do not see the boys being in any danger." For the first time in years, crimson eyes glared over at lavender ones. "Calm yourself, Pharaoh. While I understand that there is the chance that I am wrong, I fully believe that they will be alright." Yami clenched his hands into fists as he grunted softly.

"I cannot let anything happen to Yugi or the others."

"And I cannot bear to have anything happen to Malik or the others." Marik answered back. He uncrossed his arms and walked over to Yami, placing a hand on the other's strong shoulder. "Come with me and the Thief King to the Shadow Realm. With your influence, the Tormenter will surely come to our aid." The tanned Egyptian watched as his former king began to mull things over in his head and in a last effort, he added, "You can see for yourself what that foul God has done."

That seemed to work for Yami hummed back and nodded solemnly. "Very well, I will join you and Bakura today." He stepped away from his friend and turned his attention to the opened window at the eastern part of the room. "But if I feel the slightest change in Yugi, I will not hesitate to leave." Marik honored his words with a nod before he too turned his attention to the side. And as if on cue, Bakura came walking into the kitchen.

"Bakura, the Pharaoh will join us today."

The grey haired man snorted and grabbed a piece of toast before biting the corner off harshly. "Fuck if I care." He replied back before chewing the bread thoroughly. Yami studied the Thief King before and smirked amusingly, it seemed as though Bakura was in a bad mood – was it because of something Ryou did? The Pharaoh's smug look did not go unnoticed by Bakura for he growled and glared, a fang slipping past his lips. "Can I help you with something, Pharaoh?"

"You're in quite a bitchy mood this morning." He observed. "Late night?" Bakura twitched momentarily before growling and flipping his former king off. He left the room without another word, stomping his way towards the front room. The tri-colored haired man let out a bark of laughter at that as he and Marik followed after the fuming Thief King. "Perhaps Ryou did have something to do with Bakura's sour attitude."

"Come to think of it, Malik was also acting a little strange. He seemed stiff as well." Marik stated, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Perhaps there is something we're missing." Once the two Egyptians made it into the front room, they were not surprised to see Bakura with his back turned to them as he patiently waited for the others. Marik and Bakura shared some small talk while Yami's mind began to drift slightly. He pondered the implications of what Marik met and frowned.

'Something we're missing? Is that why Yugi left so suddenly without telling me?' Yami wondered, crossing his arms thoughtfully. Truth be told, he was a little sadden that the boy would leave so suddenly. After having established a relationship with the boy, Yami felt more than compelled to know of Yugi's feelings. He wanted to give Yugi everything – all the happiness and love he truly deserved. He suddenly felt sick to his stomach, 'Did I do something to upset Yugi?'

"We're leaving." Bakura stated harshly, effectively snapping Yami out of his thoughts. The Thief King peered at him questioningly before returning his attention forward and stepping through the dark corridor that would lead him and his friends to the Shadow Realm. Marik, whose eyes danced with amusement, smirked and followed after the grey haired man. Not liking this already, Yami clicked his tongue in annoyance and followed suit.

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><p>Jounouchi eased off of the gas pedal and set his Eclipse to park when suddenly, a mischievous glint sparked in his eyes. "How about we skip school for the day?" He asked, turning around in his driver's seat to look at his friends. Yugi was situated up in the front with him while Malik was lazily lounging around in the back seat. The two purple-eyed boys shared an interested look before Yugi shook his head.<p>

"I'm not sure Jou; I have a pretty big lecture today."

"What? You can skip it! Just read the chapter from the book!"

"The semester just started though! I would never skip so early in the semester!"

"Holy shit Yugi, live a little! This is you and Yami's first Valentine's Day! Don't you want it to be special!?" Jou shouted, turning incredulous eyes over at his best friend. At Yugi's smug look, the blond quickly turned over to the Egyptian. "Malik, you're on my side, right? You're skipping?"

Malik only shrugged. "Whatever. I'll flip a coin later."

"Seriously?" Yugi asked, his eyes widening. "Come on Malik, what would Isis say?"

"The hell if I know." The blond answered back before pulling his cell phone out to text Ryou. "Listen Yugi, Jou's right. It's just one class. It's Friday for Ra's sake." Yugi looked back and forth between Jou and Malik, his eyes sweeping from left to right. His best friend was sporting a big, mischievous grin while Malik, although slightly distracted by his texting, was also smirking slightly. The King of Games kept on looking back and forth before ultimately sighing.

'Dammit…peer pressure.' He thought feebly before rolling his eyes and crossing his arms annoyingly. "Alright, fine!" That was all the confirmation that Jounouchi needed for he let out an excited cry and slammed his foot on the gas pedal, speeding away. Yugi sighed as he raised a hand to rub at his temples. 'I really wanted to go to today's lecture today too.' He felt a weight on his shoulder and turned around to see Malik smiling curtly. The Egyptian's brow twitched upwards teasingly and it was enough to make Yugi laugh a little. "Let's make sure we get some kickass stuff for our darkness, huh?"

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><p>"It's as cold as dark as I remembered." Yami observed amusingly as he crossed his arms over his chest. His discarded navy jacket was hanging on his shoulders in a form of a cape and he watched as it billowed in the wind. He shivered inwardly and clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Or even more so."<p>

"Yes, it's quite disheartening, isn't it?" Bakura said as he drew his dark red coat closer to his body. He looked towards the Pharaoh before turning towards Marik and without another thought, nodded his head determinedly. "Come, it's time we made our rounds." He exhaled slowly before turning his attention back to Yami once again. "Call forth your beasts. You and Marik will take the skies while I'll comb the grounds."

The former spirit of the Millennium Puzzle nodded solemnly before closing his eyes slowly. Amongst the darkness, his body began to exhibit a golden color of yellow. Marik and Bakura watched smugly, crossing their arms almost impatiently. Yami's forehead began to glow bright yellow as the Eye of Wdjat appeared dead center on his forehead. "I call upon Slifer the Sky Dragon and Obelisk the Tormentor! Come to your Pharaoh!"

"He's a bit of a showoff isn't he?" Bakura commented dryly as he raised a brow. Despite all that has happened to him and his friends, the Thief King still could not find it in him to respect the Gods. Beside him, Marik only shrugged. The Thief King's comment seemed to go unnoticed by the Pharaoh for the sky began to cackle and boom. Bolts of lightning flashed and clouds of dark smoke puffed about, signaling the summoning of Gods. The magnificent body of Slifer the Sky Dragon slithered from the heavens and roared as it made its way down to its master. It curled its spiked body around Yami and leaned its great head forward.

"My Pharaoh, I have come to your will." Its voice rumbled humbly and causing Yami to smile for the first time today. The Pharaoh raised a hand and placed it on Slifer's blue jewel, rubbing it affectionately. "Why have you come to the Shadows? Are you here to assist Ra's Chosen One and the Thief King's Absorber?"

Yami nodded. "Yes, however, I also require the assistance of Obelisk the Tormentor." A rumbling sounded from the Sky Dragon's throat and it was almost like the two were telepathically speaking. Yami's eyes bore into Slifer's before nodding in understanding. "I see, Obelisk has already gone ahead, has he?"

"Yes, he sensed your presence and immediately left."

Satisfied, the Egyptian turned his attention back towards his friends and furrowed their brows at their annoyed eyes. "Alright, let's do what we came here to do." Bakura rolled his eyes and after he and Marik summoned their respective monsters, he hoisted himself up onto Diabound's shoulder. "Alright, Diabound and I will take the western perimeter. Marik, you and the Sun Dragon will fly the northern skies. And you Pharaoh, you and the Sky Dragon will survey the western skies. Send your Tormentor to patrol the southern lands, that way; we'll be able to cover most of the Shadow Realm."

The two Egyptians nodded their understanding and with that, they were off. As they surveyed the different areas of the Shadow Realm, they made sure to pay extra close attention. Their eyes swept from left to right – they needed to find something – anything would do. Several hours seemed to pass by before suddenly the ground began shake and the sky flashed. The three Egyptians paused along with their monsters before an eerie cackle echoed across the realm. "_**You will not escape me this time, little Ryou!**_" Although they were spread out through different parts of the Shadow Realm, Marik and Yami froze in unison. An overwhelming sense of fear and rage began to swell up within their chest and it was like they were feeling Bakura's emotions right at this moment.

"Anubis!" Bakura's shout raged from across the lands. "You so much as _touch _him and I will rip you to shreds!" He swore, his iris slitting and burning an icy blue. "Do you hear me!? Stay the hell away from Ryou!" The three former spirits were now in a race against time – they needed to get out of the Shadow Realm and over to Ryou.

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><p>"Is there anything I can help you with, Seto?" Ryou asked kindly as he clasped his hands behind his back. Kaiba paused in his writing and looked up into the boy's big, brown eyes before clearing his throat and shaking his head. "Nothing at all?" Ryou asked again, frowning slightly. 'Oh this won't do. I don't feel right not repaying Seto for allowing me to come to work with him.' The white haired boy thought sadly. He leaned against the CEO's wooden desk, crossing his arms.<p>

Kaiba smirked at Ryou's wiliness to help but chose not to say anything, resuming his reading over the company's statistics. "Don't worry about it Ryou, it'll be fine." His phone then beeped and upon glancing at it, he sighed in an irritated fashion. "Fuck." Ryou blinked confusingly and before he could ask, the brunet stood to his feet. "Sorry Ryou, I've got a meeting to go in five. It slipped my mind." He frowned apologetically and cursed at himself mentally. All the times that Ryou had accompanied him to work, he had made sure to schedule meetings when he wasn't with Ryou because that way, he could keep an eye on the boy. With another angry curse at himself, he made a move to grab his silver briefcase but was stopped by Ryou.

"It's okay! Don't let me stand in your way!" The white haired boy replied back cheerily as he bent forward to pick up Kaiba's briefcase for him. He held its handle with both of his hands and thrust it forward, smiling angelically. "Do your best, Seto!" He encouraged adorably. "I'll be fine." Ryou smiled, his eyes closing as he did so. Kaiba however twitched uncertainly and hesitated to take his briefcase.

"Ryou, I really don't feel comfortable –"

"I'll be fine." Ryou repeated, nodding his head. His chocolate brown eyes looked up into cobalt blue ones and even Ryou could see the wariness in Kaiba's eyes. The CEO made no move to accept his briefcase when suddenly the phone on his office desk started ringing. It immediately went to voicemail and the sound of Kaiba's secretary chorused through the air.

"_Mr. President, NG Productions is here to discuss the filming of Kaiba Land's commercial advertisement. The meeting will be held in –"_

"I know!" Kaiba roared, slamming a fist down on the receiver and effectively shutting the phone off. Whether or not he broke the phone was unbeknownst to him but at the moment, the brunet didn't care. He turned towards Ryou and glared, "Do you really think I can leave you just as you are!? What if something were to happen to you? Do you really think I could live with that!? And Bakura, I promised him that I'd protect you!" In his rage, he knocked the briefcase out of Ryou's hand and curled his hands into fists.

The white haired boy frowned at his friend's actions and turned around, bending his knees. He crouched to the ground and picked up Kaiba's discarded briefcase. He bowed his head a little and hid his eyes within the safety of his bangs' shadows. "Nothing is going to happen." He said softly. "And if something does, so be it."

"What are you saying?" Kaiba demanded harshly.

Ryou stood to his feet but made no move to turn around. "You shouldn't have to stop your whole life just because of me. You have things to do and I respect that. If you're worried that Anubis will attack me while you're gone, you shouldn't. He wants _all_ of us, not just me. Yes, I may be vulnerable but he won't dare to attack me in his state. I'm sure he's still weakened by our last encounter." He turned to look over his shoulder and smiled softly, "I'll be fine. Please, go." The frown on Kaiba's face lingered as he sighed softly.

"Fine." He walked forward and accepted his briefcase but not before pinning the younger boy with a serious look. "Do _not _leave this room. Do _not_ pick up the phone for _anyone_. I will have the room to my office locked so no one will be able to go in. I will come for you when my meeting is over and I promise that I'll try to be here as soon as I can. If _anything_ happens, call for me. Shout as loud as you can, I _will_ hear you." He placed a hand on Ryou's head and ruffled the soft locks gently. "Be safe, Ryou." And with that, Kaiba left the office room.

Ryou sent him off with a smile and wave before sighing softly. 'That was a brave front.' He told himself. His chocolate brown eyes looked briefly towards the door that Kaiba had exited through before making his way to the window-side couch in the corner of the room. He reached for his sketchpad and began to absentmindedly draw. 'I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared.' The artist thought, outlining the shape of a face before darkening the areas around it. "With Bakura in the Shadow Realm and Seto at his meeting…I really am alone."

"_**Yes, you truly are alone.**__" _A voice mused, cackling in pleasure and effectively snapping Ryou out of his thoughts. The boy's face paled as he shuddered fearfully. He watched as the world around him began to crumble into darkness and he shivered. His breath materialized in front of his lips and he uttered a small cry, backing away towards the corner. "_**There's no point in trying to run, little Ryou.**_" Anubis stated. "_**Where's your precious Thief King now? The Priest is gone too. They've all abandoned you.**_"

A drop of sweat fell down his cheek and Ryou opened his mouth to scream but his voice fell upon deaf ears. Try as he might, he couldn't make an inch of sound. It was almost as if something was squeezing on his vocal chords and preventing him from speaking. 'Seto! Seto, please!' Ryou cried out mentally, shaking. "…!" Suddenly, a black mass of pure evil arose from the ground, coating the room in everlasting darkness and pain. The form came to stand upon two legs and his throat hitched slightly, knowing that Anubis was making its presence known. A chill ran up Ryou's spine and he couldn't help but shut his eyes, trying to will the frightening image away.

/ _Bakura! Bakura, he's here! Anubis is here! Help me, please! /_

"_**Calling for your worthless thief now, are you? It won't do you any good – you're in my domain now, little one.**_" Anubis stood proud and tall like that of any God but his eyes glowed red like that of a demon. He advanced slowly, his lips pulling back to reveal terrifying sharp canine teeth. He paused in front of the couch and looked down at the white haired boy briefly before smirking evilly. "_**Your first mistake was underestimating me**_." With a swipe of his claws, he grabbed a hold of Ryou's neck and lifted him high off the ground, loving the pained sounds emitting from Ryou's throat. "_**You're the Thief King's treasure, are you? Pitiful – I am not surprised however, you're no better than a simple trinket.**_"

'You bastard!' Ryou swore mentally, glaring at Anubis fiercely despite the chokehold around his neck. He grabbed onto the hand holding onto his neck with both of his, trying to dig his nails into the demon's flesh. The God of Death noticed how much of a struggle Ryou was putting up and barked harshly at it, throwing his head back in a laugh. He tightened his grip, his claws raking across Ryou's skin easily. 'Shit…!' The painter cried out, feeling his throat beginning to throb and wet. He felt a trail of blood go down and cursed over and over in his head.

/ _Bakura, where are you!? Help me, please! _/

"_**He can't hear you, little Ryou! I'm afraid you're all alone! I'm not wasting anymore time – you will be the first of my collected sacrifices!**_" Even it was even possible, Anubis tightened his grip once again, causing Ryou to squirm helplessly. His oxygen levels were quickly depleting and he feared that in no time at all, he'd die. His vision began to swim, the lack of oxygen to his brain causing some of his functions to shut down, and freely cried. The tears cascaded down his face as he shut them tiredly.

'I can't hold out any longer…' As he took his final miniscule breath of air, a loud bang was heard. Anubis sharply turned in direction of the sound and was surprised to see three shining white lights at the northern end of the room. He snarled angrily and held up an arm to shield his eyes from the offending light. '…What?' Ryou questioned, slowly opening his eyes though they remained half-lidded. He was barely able to make out a silhouette before falling unconscious.

"Get away from him!" Kaiba shouted, his cobalt blue eyes burning dangerously. His Blue Eyes White Dragons surrounded him and they roared in obvious fury. Their scales shown brightly in their intimidating light and they flapped their wings. The CEO stood between them with a handgun held tightly in his hand. "I said get away from him!" He screamed, firing another shot. It connected cleanly, hitting Anubis in the hand and causing him to drop Ryou. The white haired boy fell to the ground in a slump, his hair falling over his closed eyes.

"_**Fool! Your man-made machine will do nothing to me!**_"

"_But we will!_" Aoi roared out. She and her sisters flew straight towards Anubis. "_We will end you once and for all!_" They simultaneously opened their mouths, a burst of white lightning forming at their mouths. As his girls keeping the jackal occupied, Kaiba rushed over to Ryou. He picked him up and cradled him tenderly in his arms, trying to rouse the boy awake.

"_**The White Dragons!**_" Anubis snarled out. He began to falter slightly as he took a step back, his pointed teeth bearing in his rage. "_**Don't think you've won yet! You can't always turn to your precious dragons! In time, they will be powerless to me!**_" He roared out his displeasure and the three Blue Eyes White Dragons took that moment to strike. They fired the White Lightning attacks but it was too late, Anubis had already slipped away. Not wanting Anubis to get too far away, the three dragons of legend slipped back into the confines of the Shadow Realm, intending to search high and low for the demon. Kaiba, who hadn't paid any attention to the battling monsters, was still trying to get through to the unconscious Ryou.

"Ryou! Wake up, Ryou!"

Silence.

The brunet's eyes grew wide in alarm at lack of response he was getting from the white haired boy. He touched Ryou's neck, feeling for a pulse. When he found one, he let out a sigh of relief. "What in the hell?" He said aloud slowly, noticing something red on Ryou's neck. They were three long and defined scratch marks on Ryou's neck that had not been there before. 'Idiot.' He berated himself. 'It was because of Anubis. I never should have left him on his own!' Taking the boy into his arms, he held Ryou close, almost like he would Jounouchi. "I need to bring him home." He needed to get Ryou somewhere safe, somewhere where Anubis wouldn't hurt him again. 'I'm so sorry…' he thought, apologizing to both Ryou and Bakura.

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><p>After getting word from Kaiba's monsters that he and Ryou were safely back at the mansion, Yami, Marik, and Bakura hastily left the Shadow Realm. At the moment, neither of the Egyptians knew the extent of Ryou's injuries and it was enough to leave them fearful and nervous. Bakura was fuming and shaking with rage, how dare Anubis touch what was his!? At the moment, the Thief King was frantically running around the house, searching for Ryou. He finally made it to their bedroom and threw open the door harshly, "Ryou!?"<p>

"He's sleeping." Kaiba said curtly, his voice tight and monotone. Bakura looked towards the CEO and saw that he was sitting beside a sleeping Ryou. The boy's neck was wrapped in clean, white bandages that were stained red. Although his chest seemed to rise and fall evenly, it did little to reassure Bakura's quickly beating heart. He walked forward and made his way over to Ryou, his eyes wide and alarmed. He studied his light's sleeping body before angrily turning towards Kaiba. Reacting quickly, he grabbed the brunet and slammed him against the wall adjacent to them.

"You bastard! I told you to keep him safe!" Bakura shouted, punching the wall by Kaiba's face. The CEO's face was passive, his eyes boring into those of enraged icy blue. The Thief King held Kaiba still by the nape of his throat and squeezed Kaiba's skin, effectively leaving bruises. "You made me a promise, you damn priest! You swore that you would protect him with your life!" Knowing that he'd probably react the same way if Jounouchi had been in danger, Kaiba remained silent and was ready to take any punishment that Bakura would dish out. The eyes of the former spirit of the Millennium Ring began to burn blood red and he growled, his fangs showing. "I'll kill you!"

/ _Don't you dare lay a finger on him! _/

Hearing his light's voice in his head, Bakura whipped his head to look back at Ryou. The boy's eyes were opened but he still looked weak and tired. / / _Ryou? Gods, I'm so sorry. I wasn't there to protect you!_ / / He let go of Kaiba's neck and rushed over to his fallen lover. He leaned forward and touched his forehead to Ryou's, his long grey hair covering them both.

/ _I know, I'm sorry I worried you_ / Ryou thought back, took weak to verbally say so. Kaiba watched their exchange interestedly before slipping his way out of the room, wanting to leave the two alone. His hand flew to his neck and he massaged the aching feeling in his throat.

'That's going to hurt later.' He thought, running the pads of his fingers against his bruises. He walked in direction of the sitting room where Yami and Marik were quietly discussing. The two looked up at him and were surprised to see the ferocity and anger in Kaiba's eyes. "We need to discuss something…" He told them gravely.

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><p>Author's notes: Hi! I'm sorry I had to cut it off right there! This was a short chapter and I know it doesn't make up for the six months I was gone but I wanted to give you guys some suspense! :) Is that mean? I'M SO SORRY! :( Hopefully you liked this one though! We've still got a lot to do! Also, who here can help me think of presents for our beloved couples? Valentine's Day is a day for lovers and friends, after all! :) Also, make way for Chaseshipping next chapter! Until next time loves! Review please!<p> 


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